Welcome to Action! Starting in a small store 30 years ago in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, we've grown to become Europe's fastest-growing non-food discounter. With 2,755 stores and 17.6 million weekly customers, we offer a constantly changing selection of 6,000 products at unbeatable prices. Our diverse team of more than 74,500 colleagues from 156 nationalities across 12 countries is dedicated to providing quality and sustainability.
Learn all about our achievements and our ambitions
2,755Stores in 12 different countries
17.6Million customers visit our stores every week
6,000+Different products
13.9Million customers use action.com and our app weekly
Today, non-food discounter Action announced its trading update for the first nine months of 2024. During this period, Action’s net sales increased to €9.6 billion (+20.9% compared to the same period in 2023). Like-for-like sales (excluding new stores) increased by 9.8%. After 4,000 price reductions in 2023 and 2024, Action’s sales growth is driven by a higher number of customers.
From today onwards, residents of Nola can enjoy Action’s unique formula, offering 6,000 good quality products across 14 categories (from toys and handicrafts to household products, gardening, DIY, and food), at the lowest price. Action introduces 150 new products every week, ensuring a relevant assortment that caters to various needs and preferences. Only one third of the product assortment is fixed and150 new products are introduced each week, which is a key component of our success and sets it apart from other retailers.
Half year net sales rose to €6.2 billion (+20.1% compared to the same period in 2023). Like-for-like sales increased by 9.0%. Sales growth is due to selling more products to new and existing customers. So far this year, Action has reduced more than 1,300 product prices, in addition to last year’s 2,500 price reductions. Action has welcomed 17.3 million customers a week on average over the past six months in 2,685 stores in 12 countries. Action added 119 new stores this period and is on track to open 330 new stores this year.
Today Action launches its new product the ‘Brush Saver’ in all Action stores. The Brush Saver is a smart brush vacuum that keeps paint brushes in optimal condition and prevents them from drying out, making it possible to reuse again and again. This award winning invention has become the newest product on the shelves in The Netherlands from today. Action developed the product and made it ready to produce on a large scale.
Action, the non-food discount retailer, opens its 3rd Parisian store, today to meet growing demand. This latest opening brings the total number of Action stores in France to 807.
For the second year in a row, Action, the fast-growing non-food discounter, is elected Favourite French Retailer by the consulting agency EY-Parthenon as part of their annual " Favourite French Retailer" study, which is unveiled today.
In 2023, Action's net sales increased by 27.8% to €11.3 billion, largely as a result of like-for-like sales growth of 16.7%. Action added 303 new stores and operated a total of 2,566 stores in 11 countries. Operating EBITDA increased by 34% to €1,615 million. Action created 8,988 jobs and employed 69,040 people of 155 different nationalities.
Action, the fast-growing non-food discounter, opens its first store in Portugal on Thursday, February 29th. The company’s first Portugal store opens in Vila Nova de Gaia, in the Porto district, and more stores will open in other regions before the end of 2024. Portugal is the 12th country where Action operates.
Action, the non-food discounter, realised net sales of €11.3 billion in 2023, up 27.8% from 2022. The like-for-like sales growth of 16.7%, mainly due to more customers shopping in existing Action stores, demonstrates the strength of the Action formula. Action added 303 new stores in 2023. The company now welcomes an average of 15.3 million customers a week.
Action has achieved a milestone by only using responsibly sourced cotton. This reflects our commitment to environmentally responsible and socially conscious practices. 99% of our cotton is sourced as Better Cotton, and 1% is sourced as organic cotton.
Action, the fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe, passes the 2,500th store mark with the opening of a new store in Madrid, Spain today.
Action, the fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe, passes the 2,500th store mark with the opening of a new store in Madrid, Spain today.
Every week Action welcomes millions of price-conscious customers to its stores. Net sales for the first nine months of 2023 rose to €7.9 billion (+30.5%) as a result of Action's rapid international expansion and strong growth in existing stores. In the first nine months of 2023, Action added 153 new stores. The total number of stores grew to 2,416 in 11 European countries. The growth of existing stores (like-for-like) was 19.2%.
In the city of Elblag, Action opened its 300th store in Poland on October 26. Action, the fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe, opened its first store in Poland in 2017 in Leszno.
Action opened its first store in the city of Rome on Thursday 19 October. This illustrates its strong expansion in Italy, reaching 50 stores and 1,000 employees in the country.
Action is pleased to announce the extension of its partnership with SOS Children's Villages, starting from January 1, 2024, for a period of 3 years. This partnership, which began in 2018, has proven to be a powerful collaboration dedicated to the well-being of vulnerable children worldwide.
Action's dedicated focus on customer happiness is once again awarded. In the prestigious Retailer of the Year awards, organised across various European countries, Action emerged as a winner in multiple categories, affirming its status as a beloved retail destination for shoppers.
On September 21, 2023, the non-food discounter Action celebrates the opening of its 500th store in Germany. With this milestone, the company, which has been present in Germany since 2009, marks a significant achievement in its expansive success story.
Action has had a good first half of 2023. Driven by demand from more than 14 million weekly customers, revenue grew 33.5% in the first half year compared to the same period last year to €5.2 billion.
From today, Action's 150 trucks are running on HVO 100 biodiesel from its distribution centres (DC) in Zwaagdijk and Echt. This is an important step in making Actions operations more sustainable by reducing emissions from its trucks by 90%. The switch to biodiesel is the result from a successful pilot at the head office in Zwaagdijk where we investigated the effects of HVO 100.
Action's limescale cleaner, Superfinn anti limescale, has been awarded Best Buy by the Dutch Consumers' Association (Consumentenbond) for the best value for money. Superfinn is an affordable option for consumers looking for an effective limescale cleaner. A total of 24 bathroom cleaners were reviewed on their price and tested for limescale removal, limescale soap removal, material deterioration, sustainability, limescale protection and ease of use. Superfinn is available for €1.50 per 750ml bottle.
Action, the fastest-growing non-food discount retailer in Europe, officially opens its third distribution centre in Poland today, located in Zakroczym. This is Action's 13th distribution centre in Europe.
Today, Michel Illac, Mayor of Ensues la Redonne, Hajir Hajji, CEO of Action and Richard Delgenes, Supply Chain Manager Action Logistic, opened the company’s fifth distribution centre (DC) in France. With this DC located in Ensues la Redonne, Action is taking a new step forward and strengthens its supply in France to live up to its ambitions.
Today, 24 May, we opened our 100th store in Austria! This store opened in capital city Vienna and is the 22nd store here. Action has been active in this country since 2015.
All of Action’s own brand cocoa products are made from sustainably grown and Fairtrade-sourced cocoa beans. This applies to all our fixed and seasonal assortment of chocolate. We are very proud of this achievement and we believe that we have the scale and opportunity to provide our customers with good quality, sustainable products at the lowest price possible.
Zenova's octocrylene-free sun milk for sensitive skin with SPF30 has been voted Best Buy and Best of Test in the category sun milk with SPF30 in Belgium. In the Netherlands the sunscreen was awarded Best Buy, Best in Test and Green Choice by the Consumers' Association (Consumentenbond) in the same category. Action’s Zenova products have a new sustainable formulation and are available from €2.39.
The distinction ‘Favourite Retailer France’ was awarded by consulting agency EY-Parthenon as part of their annual study, which was unveiled today.
Discounter Action has ended 2022 with strong financial results. The company grew in the countries in which it operates and its number of stores increased by 280, which is a record level of store openings in a year. In addition, good progress was made in improving the quality and sustainability of its products. This is evident from the Action Update 2022 which was published today.
Action, the fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe, opens its first store in Slovakia today. The company’s first Slovak store opens in Bratislava and more stores will open in other regions before the end of 2023. Slovakia is the eleventh country where Action operates.
Over the full year in 2022, Action achieved net sales in Europe of €8,9 billion, representing growth of 30% compared to 2021. Identical (‘like for like’) sales growth amounted to 18.1%, partly due to fewer Covid measures being in place than in 2021. The loyalty to Action’s brand and range lay partly at the basis of a higher number of transactions and increased store visit frequency of customers who regularly shop at Action These increased by several percent on an annual basis, especially in the larger countries in which Action has been operating for longer. The number of Action stores in Europe increased by 280 to 2,263.
Action started almost 30 years ago with one small store in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands - and has been on an amazing journey ever since. Action today employs more than 68,000 people in 10 countries - with more than 124 different nationalities. Action is the fastest growing non-food discounter in Europe, offering an ever-changing range of around 6,000 products to more than 12 million customers in over 2,200 stores and another 8 million consumers via the Action.com website – every week.
On Friday 23 September, Action CEO Hajir Hajji commissioned a solar roof of almost 13,000 panels at the distribution centre in Zwaagdijk-Oost alongside Edward Stigter, Deputy Minister for the Environment and Climate in the province of Noord-Holland. After the official opening, local and regional businesses attended a meeting on sustainability.
In 2021, Action achieved sales of €6.8 billion. This represents growth of 22.7% compared to 2020. Thanks to 267 new stores, including stores in Italy, and two new distribution centres in Poland and Slovakia, Action approached the 2,000-store milestone, which the chain reached in the first month of 2022. This makes Action the fastest growing non-food discount retailer in Europe. At the same time, Action is making progress with its sustainability programme. By then end of 2024, all stores will be gas free. By 2030, Action expects to reduce absolute emissions from its own operations by 50% compared to 2020. In addition, Action is working on initiatives around the circularity of its products, especially items with the highest sales volume.
Today, Mr Cédric Roussel, Member of the third constituency of Alpes-Maritimes, Mr Franck Martin, Municipal Councillor Delegate for Trade and Markets of Nice and Mr Wouter De Backer, General Manager of Action in France, inaugurated the 500th Action store in France in Nice at the Nice Valley shopping centre.
Today Action will open its 100th store in Germany, in Lampertheim, while next week’s opening of a new store in Grenoble will bring the total number of French stores to 200. Action remains focused on international expansion and plans to open more stores before the end of the year.
Sander van der Laan, CEO Action, commenting on the 2015 results “Since the day I joined, I was struck by the energy, pride and enthusiasm of my colleagues, whose drive to grow the business and improve the customer experience has made Action the company it is today.