It’s a name that shouldn’t remain unknown for long. Wibra intends to step into the footsteps of Action, Lidl, Normal and the others by opening several stores in France in 2025. Originally from the Netherlands, this hard-discount store chain has more than one trick up its sleeve. bag. Enough to make its competitors tremble…
But for the moment, Wibra only has one store in all of France. It is located in Lambersart, near Lille. Since its opening at the end of October, the store has welcomed 2,000 customers every day. While Wibra has chosen to open its first French store not far from the Belgian border, where it is already well established, to take the temperature of the market, the brand should not be disappointed. We couldn’t resist the desire to discover this new brand which wants to overshadow Action.
Wibra, a major competitor to Action?
Today, discount brands are more popular than ever. If overconsumption is singled out and more ethical consumption is advocated, inflation weighs on the budgets of French households. No choice for many consumers, savings must be made where possible. This is how Action has been the favorite brand of the French for two years, dethroning well-established behemoths like Decathlon and Leroy Merlin.
Like Action, Wibra is a Dutch brand that does everything at low prices. We were sold a particularly rich catalog. No lies there. When you wander through the Wibra shelves, you really find everything you can imagine. There is something for everyone: small household appliances, clothing, decoration, dishes, household products, toys, stationery, household linen, confectionery…
During our visit, we even came across the miracle cleaning product and the magic sponge that we see everywhere on social networks, and particularly on TikTok. Speaking of household, Wibra relies heavily on Dasty household products, whose references are numerous and extremely well presented. We actually found a Dasty gift box on sale for 2.50 euros instead of 9.99 euros. Do what you want with this information…
This first store opened in France has a surface area of 500 m². If it’s not huge, it’s more than enough to fill your shopping cart. Even if, obviously, there is a little less choice than its competitors.
Really low prices
The national director of Wibra Belgium, Claudine Nachtergaele, affirms that the brand offers “very affordable value for money and accessible to all budgets” and is aimed at people with limited means and bargain hunters. Indeed, Wibra reveals aggressive prices, like other hard discount brands. Out of curiosity, we wandered around the store looking for the most expensive product. It took us a little time but we ended up finding it: a huge suitcase for 49.99 euros. Among Wibra’s most expensive products, we also found a heating pad for 39.99 euros.
For the rest, prices rarely exceed twenty euros, even when it comes to small household appliances. In reality, a quantity of items is sold for less than 5 euros and the brand offers constant offers. Enough to delight customers looking for low prices. To display such competitive prices, Wibra sources the majority of its supplies from Asia, and supplements it with a few European sources.
Although we didn’t need anything, we gave in and left with 3 products “not so useless after all”. For stainless steel straws, a car scraper and gift wrap, we got it for less than 4 euros.
A better customer experience?
Despite a fairly rich and varied catalog, the Wibra shelves are rather well organized. This is generally the weak point of these brands where everything is cheaper. But at Wibra, everything is in its place, it’s orderly and tidy, the prices are clearly displayed, it’s much more readable and that changes everything. In addition to being more pleasant for the consumer, this more careful aspect distinguishes the brand from its competitors, with a slightly less low-end image. There’s no denying that a trip to Wibra is a little more pleasant than Action or other stores of the same ilk. That’s already it…
© Lemon squeezer
© Lemon squeezer
If Wibra does not revolutionize hard discount, this first store in France therefore stands out with a better customer experience. Its airy layout makes it more pleasant than its rivals. For the rest, the store keeps its promise of numerous products at low prices. It is certain that despite stiff competition, the brand should attract French consumers when it opens other stores in France. In the coming months, the brand should continue to establish itself in France, particularly in Roubaix and Paris.
