Since 2021 Action has opened 250 stores in Italy, while in Europe it exceeds 3,500 in 16 countries. Country Manager Maurizio Oprandi explains the formula: around 6,000 products, two thirds under 2 euros, 150 new products per week.
People queuing outside a shop on opening day, in an Italy that buys with one finger on the phone. Maurizio Oprandi says he doesn’t call it a surprise, but that he still finds it “special”. It happens from Vanzaghello and Turin, where the first sales points opened in 2021 Actionup to Bari, where last month the 250th Italian store.
The Dutch chain was born in 1993 in Enkhuizen and today has more than 3,500 stores in 16 European countries: As of June 2025, it reported 18.7 million customers per week. It’s a low cost who chose the opposite path to that of Temu and Shein: no clicks, just shops. More than two thirds of the approximately 6,000 products cost less than 2 euros, 150 new products arrive every week, and to take them home you have to enter, look, touch. The app (3 million downloads in Italy) serves to prepare the visit, not to replace it.
Maurizio Oprandi is the Country Manager of Action Italia and was its first employee, in 2019, two years before the opening of the first store. We asked him about customers, formula and online competition. One thing is missing from the answers: Italian turnover. Instead, there is a number that tells the story of the moment. With the opening of Bari, Action also welcomed its 6,000th colleague in Italy.
Action arrived in Italy only a few years ago and has already exceeded the threshold of 250 stores. What needs or consumer trends have you identified in our country that other retailers may have overlooked?
We note that customers they increasingly want to spend lesswithout compromising on quality and sustainability. And this is precisely the heart of Action’s offer: to propose good quality products at the lowest possible prices. It is the pillar of our formula and it is what we intend to maintain with determination also in the future.
Consumers are changing faster than ever and we have seen this evolution clearly reflected in their behaviors in recent years. As a retailer, it is necessary to respond quickly and flexibly: we do this thanks to a unique formula that provides the introduction of 150 new products every single week. We expect customer needs to continue to evolve in the coming years, making it even more critical to respond to these changes with great flexibility.
With so many openings, you have a privileged observation point on the consumption habits of Italians. What surprised you most about customers in our country?
I don’t know if I would call it a surprise, but what genuinely struck me is the enthusiasm of Italian customers. I still find it special to see people lined up outside our stores on opening day. The extraordinary thing is that we find this enthusiasm everywhere: from our first stores in Vanzaghello and Turin in 2021, to the debut in Sicily last June and the inauguration of the 250th store in Bari last month.
Who is Action’s typical customer today? Is there a specific profile (age, habits or spending capacity), or does your success come from attracting a cross-section of audiences?
This is exactly one of the aspects I love most about Action: everyone shops here. If you enter one of our stores, you will find people of all ages and backgrounds. Students, families, young professionals, pensioners; people with very different purchasing habits and budgets. This is exactly what makes our formula so solid.
Everyone appreciates being able to find good quality products at surprisingly low prices. Some customers are looking for everyday items, while others are looking for the right accessories to decorate their home and make it more welcoming.
4. If you had to summarize Action’s success formula in three key elements, what would they be? How much of this formula is identical throughout Europe and how much is adapted to the Italian market?
The interesting aspect is that our formula is largely identical in all the over 3,500 stores present in 16 European countries, even if the Italian stores have a small percentage of products selected specifically for the local consumer. Furthermore, it is nice to underline that the staff usually comes from the community in which the store is located, always guaranteeing an authentic and recognizable Italian imprint.
Regarding our strengths, I believe there are three factors that really make the difference. First: unique assortment and prices. We offer approximately 6,000 products in 14 categories, from everyday items to those that make your life easier or more enjoyable. It is precisely the combination of low prices, good quality and the surprise effect of discovering something new every time that customers love.
Second: our people. I firmly believe that colleagues are the beating heart of Action. Today people of around 60 different nationalities work in our Italian offices and shops, and it is an achievement of which I am very proud. Earlier this year we also successfully obtained the renewal of Certification of Gender Equality in Italy, achieved for the first time in 2024.
Third: constant commitment to improvement quality and sustainability. it means working on responsible sourcing and production, using certified materials such as Fairtrade cocoa and PEFC certified wood and improving our products so that they last longer.
5. Platforms like Temu and Shein have accustomed consumers to very low prices and infinite choice online, while Action focuses on low prices through physical stores. Do you consider them competitors, or do you think they help educate a price-conscious consumer from which Action also indirectly benefits?
In all honesty, neither option. It is important to highlight that Action offers a completely different shopping experience. All our products are tested to ensure compliance with current quality and safety standards and compliance with laws and regulations. All applicable taxes and import duties are paid regularly. Furthermore, and a fundamental aspect, customers can come to our stores, touch the products firsthand, evaluate their quality and take them home immediately.
6. Why do your customers still feel the need to go to a physical store?
For the experience we offer. Furthermore, people like to enter our stores: they are pleasant and functional environments, with wide aisles, good lighting and a clear layout. Customers can see and touch the products, which is particularly important when evaluating their quality, size or colour.
Of course, digital also plays an important role, but it is designed to support points of sale. Our app, downloaded over 3 million times in Italy aloneand our website help customers find products, seek inspiration, browse online reviews, and prepare for their store visit. For us, physical and digital retail complement each other.
7. Action places a strong emphasis on internal professional growth and employee development. She is a clear example of this. How central is this focus on internal mobility in Action’s corporate culture?
It is a topic that is particularly close to my heart, because I have experienced it firsthand. I actually joined Action in 2019 as very first employee in Italytwo years before opening our first stores. At the time we started from scratch, laying the foundations for what Action is today. My first role was that of Acquisition & Construction Manager, so I was personally involved in the search for locations and in the creation of our first stores.
At Action we firmly believe in giving people the opportunity to develop skills and take on new responsibilities. For me that’s what makes Action a special workplace. We’re not just opening shops: we’re creating real opportunities for people to build their careers.
