Dutch Discount Retailer Enters Portugal, Eyes Further Expansion

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2024. 03. 12. 09:06

Dutch discount retailer Action has opened its first store in Portugal, in Vila Nova de Gaia, with three more openings planned in the north of the country later this year.

Following Action’s success in neighbouring Spain, the company sees Portugal as an ideal market for its low-cost model, with the motto ‘Small prices, big smiles.’

According to job postings on the company’s website, the new store locations could be in Barcelos, Santo Tirso, Guarda and/or Entroncamento.

Initially, stores in Portugal will be supplied from the company’s distribution centre in Toulouse, France. However, to streamline logistics, it plans to open a distribution centre near Madrid in October, to serve both Spain and Portugal.

‘The First Step’

Bart Raeymaekers, regional director for Benelux, Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal, commented, “We’re thrilled to launch in Portugal, and these four stores are just the first step. Looking at Action’s history in other countries, we typically start small and then expand to fill the whole market.”

Raeymaekers added that he was “confident” that the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, would be part of the group’s future plans.

Last year, Action opened more than 300 stores, with over 2,500 outlets now spread across 12 European countries: Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands and Portugal.

The Dutch retailer, serving 15.3 million customers weekly, considers itself the ‘fastest-growing low-cost retailer of non-food products,’ boasting €8.9 billion in revenue.

Action works with over 70,000 partners worldwide and offers a wide variety of 6,000 products across 14 categories, including toys, household products, gardening supplies and DIY tools, as well as selected food and beverage items.

Around 1,500 of these products are priced below €1, with 150 new items added weekly, at ‘attractive prices’.

ESM