Action, which was established in 1993 in the Netherlands, is the fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe with more than 3,300 stores across 15 countries.

In 2025, the company welcomed an average of 21.6 million visitors per week and generated net sales of €16 billion. 

Visit action.com

Why we invested

Established in 1993, Action is the fastest-growing non-food discounter in Europe. Action offers 6,000 good quality products at the lowest prices across 14 categories. In Action's stores, customers can find well-known A-brands next to Action's own private labels and brands owned by Action's suppliers. Two-thirds of the assortment changes frequently, as Action introduces more than 150 new articles every week to surprise customers and maintain relevance. 

The product assortment includes decoration, DIY, garden and outdoor, household goods, multimedia, health, stationery and hobby, toys and entertainment, food and drink, laundry and cleaning, personal care, pet, fashion and linen.

Actions' simple, straightforward and flexible business model makes Action unique: we work hard to source good quality products, invest in our supply chain, and continuously work to make those products more sustainable. 

The essence of Action: "small prices, big smiles". 

How we add value 

We have leveraged our network, experience and resources to further internationalise the business. During our investment, Action has grown from 250 stores to more than 3,300 across 15 countries and grown its staff to more than 84,000 people.

In 2025, it opened three new distribution centres (in Germany, Poland and Italy) and one new hub (in the Netherlands). In total, Action now operates 18 distribution centres and four hubs across Europe. 

At the end of 2025, more than 99% of all cotton, cocoa, timber, coffee and palm oil used in Action’s private and white label products was certified as sustainable through industry-recognised certifications. 

Since 2021, Action has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 (market-based) emissions by 56%, by moving stores away from gas, sourcing 90% renewable electricity and upgrading its fleet of trucks in the Netherlands to run on HVO 100 biofuel. 

Action has been voted as the favourite retail brand of the French people (Enseigne Préférée des Français) four years in a row, from 2023 - 2026. 

Read more about Action's journey from Good to Great here. 

Regulatory information
This transaction involved a recommendation of 3i Investments plc, advised by 3i Benelux.