Decathlon offers gift cards on used tents to stop festival-goers abandoning them
Ellen O'Donoghue
Decathlon is offering a gift cards for used tents in Ireland this summer in an effort to stop festival-goers from abandoning them.
The retailer has launched its No Tent Left Behind pledge in Ireland for the first time, calling on campers and festivalgoers to rethink waste.
Customers can return their selected Decathlon own-brand Quechua model tent by Saturday, September 5th, with their receipt in exchange for 100 per cent of the original purchase value back on a Decathlon gift card.
The returned tents will then be refurbished and resold through Decathlon's second life programme.
The initiative has been a major success in the UK, designed to tackle one of the most visible environmental issues associated with outdoor events and festivals - the widespread abandonment of tents, many of which end up in landfill after a single use.
Each year, the retailer said, hundreds of thousands of tents are left behind at festivals, with many containing the equivalent plastic of thousands of straws or bottles.
The 2026 launch of the tent pledge is a decidcated pilot year programme, allowing Decathlon Ireland to test the operational viability of the initiative locally, while continuing to support circular camping habits.
Customers in Ireland will be able to buy a selected Decathlon tent, enjoy it throughout the summer, and return it by Saturday, September 5th with the receipt, in exchange for 100 per cent of the original purchase value back on a Decathlon gift card.
The pilot programme is focused on the tents that are most commonly abandoned, applying only to a strictly limited selection of entry-level festival tents.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring the ‘No Tent Left Behind’ pledge to Ireland for the first time”, said Chris Allen, Director of Sustainability & Circular Economy at Decathlon UK & Ireland.
“Irish customers are increasingly conscious of their environmental impact, and this initiative empowers them to enjoy the outdoors while making more responsible choices. It’s about changing habits, reducing waste, and making sustainable camping the norm.”
The initiative was officially launched on Monday by broadcaster and content creator Fionnuala Moran.
For more information, visit decathlon.ie and follow @decathlon_ireland on Instagram.
