To support our strategy, we have set out priorities through to 2025: to continue growing our business, further improving our store environment, enhancing the use of data and digital, and continue implementing our Action Sustainability Programme. We are also looking to improve the fundamentals of our business where possible – this means investing more in our supply chain, and further streamlining our processes and resource planning.

To meet customer demand, we are continuing to expand our store network. In 2023, we added 303 stores, including our first-ever store in Slovakia. To support these stores, we also opened new distribution centres in France and Poland. As customer demand grows, we will continue to add new stores. In 2024, we opened our first Action store in Portugal near Porto – and we see further opportunities in new and existing markets.

In September, we opened our 500^th store in Germany as we continued to expand during the year in one of our biggest markets.

During 2023, we continued to expand in central and eastern Europe, opening our 50^th store in the Czech Republic, our 100^th in Austria and our 300^th in Poland.

We opened our first store in Slovakia in March. By the end of 2023, we had 15 stores across the country.

Action opened in Rome for the first time. It was our 50^th store in Italy, part of an expansion across the previously unserved northern and central regions of the country.

In France, we opened our fifth distribution centre at Ensuès-la-Redonne, serving stores in Marseille and the south-east of the country.

Our thirteenth distribution centre opened at Zakroczym in northern Poland. The site adds approximately 44,000 m² in new supply chain capacity.

As we grow our network, we are constantly looking for efficiencies. Where possible, we are expanding our use of digital, streamlining our internal and in-store processes and improving the ‘end-to-end’ flow of goods. For example, we introduced a system to provide better insight into customer preferences. At the same time, we are working to simplify our core HR and Finance processes and upgrading our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which will help further scale up our business. We’re also pushing ahead with our Blue Excellence programme to promote smart working and team building at our distribution centres.

* Source: EY-Parthenon (based on a survey of more than 9,300 consumers in France). Action was voted 2023 Enseigne Préférée des Français. 

Becoming France’s favourite brand

Action opened its first store in France in Courrières in 2012. Now, we have over 800 stores in France, with distribution centres near Paris, Toulouse, the Pays de la Loire and Lyon. Our fifth distribution centre opened in 2023 at Ensuès-la-Redonne. At the same time, we have seen a rapid growth in our French customer base. During the year, Action was proud to be chosen as France’s favourite retail brand, based on a survey by EY-Parthenon.^*

Looking forward, it’s imperative that we maintain a simple and efficient flow of good quality products at the lowest prices – all the way from the factory to our stores. We are continuously investing in our supply chain. We’ve strengthened cooperation with suppliers and other business partners, becoming more flexible and able to manage potential disruptions. We’re also modernising our transport management – both sea freight and road – for example, working on ways to increase the fill rate of roll containers and opening a new consolidation centre in Poland to improve regional stock management. At the same time, we’re reducing our environmental impact by, for example, reaching an agreement with ocean carriers Maersk and Kuehne + Nagel to use eco-fuels when shipping Action products from Asia to Europe.

At Action, we believe we can offer good quality products at the lowest price, while still caring for people and the environment. Given the size of our business, we can make a big impact. The Action Sustainability Programme (ASP) sets out targets that reach across our business – such as development for our employees, reducing emissions, and upholding social and environmental standards in our supply chain. We have aligned our programme with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Measuring our ‘impact’ on society

To focus our approach, we identify what are called material topics. These are topics that create the most significant risks or opportunities for our company, or where we believe Action has the most impact on society and stakeholders. We have mapped these material topics against our strategic framework and are currently setting KPIs to ensure we continue to create value for stakeholders. Our eight material topics are highlighted throughout this report, along with their KPIs and targets. All definitions may be found in the Appendix. Our topics are based on a materiality assessment involving Action subject-matter experts and senior management, and are approved by the Board. For the first time in 2023 our assessment was based on a double-materiality approach in line with the EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which applies to Action from 2025.