Numerous stores in the country, a popularity rating at its highest, slashed prices: the Dutch hard-discount brand Action has become essential in France. In times of inflation, its very tight prices always attract more customers. But what is behind this undeniable success?
For a number titled “Action: always cheaper, but at what price?”broadcast Thursday December 12*, the journalists from “Complément d’investigation” decipher the reasons for the success of the company, which has nearly 2,800 stores in Europe, including more than 800 in France.
To do this, they met employees and ex-employees and had access to internal and confidential documents. Their investigation highlights in particular the hunt for expenses and the quest for productivity, which can weigh on the working conditions of employees.
The magazine devotes part of its survey to optimizing employees' working time in order to increase productivity. “Additional investigation” details how algorithms help the company manage the working time of employees, delivery warehouses and stores.
The placement on the shelves of packages received daily by the brands is, for example, timed. Each employee must store hundreds of items in the aisles within a specific time, before opening or among customers, which requires them to respond to their requests, or to carry out other tasks. These rates are denounced by employees interviewed by the magazine, which also reports testimonies collected on job search sites from people who say they have worked at Action.
For its part, management defends a “cost control” as well as the need to be “effective”. According to Elodie Voslion, director of human resources at Action, employees are subject to “a normal rhythm”but she assures that “the store manager must ensure that he can plan enough employees to have a normal rhythm.”
“Additional investigation” is also based on a report from an independent firm Sextant submitted to the Social and Economic Committee (CSE) of Action France in February 2023. This document, which presents the results of a study carried out by the firm concerning the quality of life and working conditions within Action France, is the conclusion of a mission launched in July 2022 by the CSE, which had mandated these experts.
These latter are particularly alarmed by the working conditions at Action France. They describe “an arithmetic vision of work” and standardization of employee tasks. “The Action model is governed by a need for flexibility, requiring employees to be versatile while reducing downtime and compressing the workforce.”
Testimonies collected by “Complément d’investigation” also denounce the management methods which are allegedly used by some within the group. A former manager speaks of humiliations, while a former executive who held a position as regional manager describes exhausting methods, but also practices aimed at not paying overtime. Accusations that management refutes.
The report commissioned by the CSE also warns of staff turnover within the company. The figures dating from 2021 suggest a turnover at the national level which “accelerates sharply, reaching 54%, that is to say that more than half of the store workforce has been renewed in one year”.
An internal document dated February, obtained by “Complément d’investigation”, shows that in 2023, the turnover rate in the Center region was 71.4%. In other words, seven out of ten employees had left their job during the year. In the Western region, this rate should reach around 80% by the end of 2024 according to these projections.
Questioned by the investigative magazine, Action's human resources director did not comment on these figures, preferring to highlight a company survey revealing a high satisfaction rate among its employees. “Distribution, inherently, is a sector where there is more turnover than in a bank, for example”she nevertheless conceded.
Subjected to a demanding work pace, sometimes understaffed, employees met by “Complément d’investigation” also describe suffering at work. Some notably report physical pain linked to the loads to be carried or the pace.
The report commissioned by the CSE draws the same observation. In 2021, the rate of absenteeism due to illness, work accidents and occupational illness reached 11.6% at Action France, compared to 5.92% in the commerce sector, according to this report. Even more worrying, this same report notes that “sick leave of significant severity (8-30 days) more than doubled between 2019 and 2021, which may reflect greater wear and tear on the health of employees”.
According to another internal document revealed by “Complement of investigation”, the contribution for work accidents and occupational diseases (AT/MP) payable by Action increased from 2.37% to 3.60% between 2021 and 2023, higher than the average rate for brands similar to Action (2.15%) in 2024, according to Légifrance. In a letter sent in September 2023 to the general director of Action France, Wouter de Backer, the labor inspectorate was concerned about the number “of work accidents much higher than that observed within the non-food trade branch”.
During the presentation of the Sextant report to elected officials of the CSE, in February 2023, management explained itself on workplace accidents. She then asserted that, contrary to what the commissioned report says, “the number of days off work linked to work accidents has decreased compared to 2019″ and judged that “l“The record relating to workplace accidents is improving, which proves that the culture of prevention is progressing within the company”.
Questioned by “Complément d’investigation”, the general director of Action France said he had put in place equipment and devices to overcome this problem. Knee pads and safety shoes were, among other things, distributed, and professional risk prevention training put in place.
* The report “Action: always cheaper, but at what price?” of “Complément d’investigation” is broadcast Thursday December 12 at 10:55 p.m. on France 2. It was produced by Nathalie Gros, Blanche Lacroix and Vincent Buchy for Capa Presse. Replays will be available on the franceinfo website as well as on france.tv.
Related News :