30 Years of Action

Action started in 1993 with one small store in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands – and has been on an amazing journey ever since. The growth continues and we are opening stores in more and more European countries.

We are proud to offer quality at the lowest possible price. Our low prices mean accessibility across a range of customer groups. People from all walks of life visit our stores. Learn more about our history and growth here.

Small prices, big assortment

Big smiles are part of our shopping experience because our customers truly love Action. What our customers say makes them feel good is that Action offers an ever-changing assortment of daily essentials as well as surprising new products, tailored to seasonal needs.

Without our loyal customers, Action would have never become one of the largest discount retailers of Europe. We strive to keep bringing the best products for our large number of weekly visitors.

Suppliers from day one

Thirty years of Action have resulted in fantastic stories in so many areas: in our stores, from our customers and, of course, from our suppliers, some of whom have been working with us since the very beginning. Four suppliers tell their inspiring stories about working for and with Action for so long.

Undies

If there’s someone who’s been by Action’s side since the early days, it’s Charlette van der Drift (67). The brain behind the wildly popular underwear line was on board back when Action was founded in 1993.

Schulpen Schuim

Made by Schulpen Schuim, the yellow cloths were sold at the very first Action store in Enkhuizen. “I thought to myself then, I wonder how this will turn out”, says director Nino Schulpen. Looking back now, I think we can say they did rather well.

Vespo

“We’re not a supplier; we’re partners, and I’m really proud of that.” We talked to Ed Veelenturf, whose company Vespo has supplied Action with ‘everything you could possibly find in a linen cupboard’ from day one.

Dayes

Some suppliers have literally grown with Action over the last thirty years. And in order to maintain such rapid growth, suppliers need to continue to innovate. As Dayes’ managing directors Rogier van der Vat and Fabio Magnani tell us, that’s really hard to do.

Colleagues from the very beginning

Whether it is in The Netherlands, where Action has been in operation for more than 30 years, or in Italy, where we opened our first stores in 2021: Some of our colleagues have been with us from the very beginning. How do they see Action? Is it different from when they were just starting out? And what are their personal experiences?

Petra Schoenmaker

Petra Schoenmaker is one of the very first one hundred Action employees. More than 70,000 employees later – she still doesn’t feel like a number: “At Action, people still really listen to you”.

Maurizio Oprandi

Maurizio Oprandi is our Real Estate Acquisition & Construction Manager in Italy. He was one of our first colleagues in Italy, where one of his jobs was to find the locations for our first stores in Vanzaghello and Turin.

Paulina Stachowiak

Paulina Stachowiak is a Store Manager in Leszno. Back in 2018, she was one of the first employees in Poland. She’s a true ‘Actionista’.

Action's growth helps children grow

Action cares about people. Not just our own people, but all people. This is why Action also contributes to charity. Action isn’t just about
‘us’; it’s also about ‘them’. Action has a long-term partnership with the Johan Cruyff Foundation and SOS Children’s Villages, because we believe it is very important for every child to have the opportunity to develop.

SOS Children’s Villages

Even as a little girl, Arian Buurman said she wanted to work at a charity. And since 2019 this dream has become a reality. Family is important to her. She sees children as the future. And they need love from a family to develop as effectively as possible.

Read the interview

Johan Cruyff Foundation

Niels Meijer was a professional basketball player for 11 years before he joined the Johan Cruyff Foundation. ‘His’ foundation is still a form of elite sport to him, but now the goal is to help the children.

Read the interview