Decathlon has announced it will give €2,000 in free shares to most of its workforce worldwide.
Chief executive Javier Lopez Segovia revealed the plan on LinkedIn, saying the shares would be offered to eligible employees in every country where the sports retailer operates.
The scheme will be open to staff with at least three months of service. To receive the shares, employees must also remain with the company continuously until 16 June 2029.
"The shares will vest after three years," Lopez Segovia said, adding that their value would depend on the future growth of the business.
According to the company, around 56,000 employees already own shares in the business. The new programme could increase that figure to 90,000.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after more than 1,000 employees in France took part in strike action calling for higher wages.
Workers argued that salaries had not kept pace with the company's financial performance. Decathlon reported a 16% increase in net profit in 2025.
Trade unions welcomed the principle of sharing company success but questioned whether the measure addresses workers' immediate concerns.
Sébastien Chauvin, a union representative for the CFDT at Decathlon, told AFP that shares available in three years' time would not help employees struggling with the rising cost of living today.
"It's a nice announcement and good communication," he said. "But it would also be good to ask employees what they actually need."
Union representatives are expected to meet on Thursday to discuss possible future action.
