Discount Variety Retail Chain Action is known for the typical blue Action logo on the big white shopping bags. Even though there are now a few 100 stores in Germany and more than 2,000 stores in Europe, Action does not yet have the same level of awareness as other discounters. Reason enough to take a look behind the scenes and explain what action is and who is behind it.
Action is an international retail chain that operates in various countries in Europe. The range of inexpensive products offered is huge, you can find different categories such as household goods, decoration, toys, office supplies, electronics, cosmetics.
What's so special about action?
Action offers a wide variety of products at comparatively low prices. The assortment changes quite frequently. The stores tend to be large and have a sober warehouse-like design to accommodate the large amount of goods. The attractive price-performance ratio and the immense variety of products make it very popular with consumers.According to its own information, Action offers about 6,000 items, 1,750 of which cost less than one euro, according to the company.
Action: What's the mind behind it?
In 1993, the story of Action began with a small shop in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. Originally founded by Dutch entrepreneurs Gerard Deen and Rob Wagemaker, it has quickly evolved. The exact ownership of Action has changed over the years.
In 2019, UK-based investment fund 3i Group acquired a majority stake in Action. Prior to this acquisition, the company was owned by private equity firm Advent International.
How successful is Action?
Relatively quickly, Action became the fastest-growing discount retailer in Europe, according to the company's own website. Over 15 million customers come every week, and another 6.5 million people visit the website Action.com weekly.
Action is experiencing strong revenue growth. In 2022, the company generated sales of approximately 5.3 billion euros and a profit of 700 million euros and still grows rapidly.
There are now over 2,500 Action stores across Europe, including in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Spain and Slovakia.The fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe currently employs around 80,000 people from 136 countries.
