French sports goods giant, Decathlon, is planning to enter the Indian market as a single-brand retail chain, it is learnt. Currently present in the country as a cash-and-carry or wholesale operator, Decathlon has written to the government proposing to open retail stores in India, similar to the 20 other countries that it conducts business in. This is the first time that a cash-and-carry player has formally sought to go retail in India. Single-brand retail, which till a year ago had an foreign direct investment (FDI) cap of 51 per cent, can now be fully foreign-owned, thereby encouraging international chains to foray into India. Such new development in the retail segment of the country encourages signage players engaging into in-shop displays and designs.
