In January 2025 we announced our new strategy, ‘Elevating The Works’, which is focused on The Works becoming the favourite destination for affordable, screen-free activities for the whole family.
Our three strategic drivers help us focus on the right actions to achieve our purpose: growing our brand fame, improving customer convenience and being a lean and efficient operator, underpinned by our people and planet commitments.
Our strategic aims
A clear customer offering, with a refreshed strategy, building momentum and significant untapped growth potential in the value retail sector.
1. Highly relevant purpose and meaningful ambition
2. Clear position in value retail sector, with all-year round appeal
3. Much-loved by customers, with significant opportunity to grow brand awareness
4. Significant market share growth potential across all key categories
5. New five-year strategy to transform the business is delivering results
6. Strong financial position
Our five-year financial goals
Our five-year financial goal is EBITDA of at least £22.5m in FY30
(FY25 EBITDA £9.5m)
Grow our brand fame
The Works is a favourite destination among our loyal customers, but we want even more people to discover and love what we do.
What will we do?
- Promote The Works with creative marketing that champions our screen‑free positioning, underpinned by Time Well Spent.
- Build customer knowledge, improve consideration and increase engagement with new and existing customers.
- Continuously excite and delight customers with innovative products at great value all year round.
- Make every visit feel welcoming, family friendly, and full of inspiration.
What will it deliver?
We will attract and welcome more loyal fans to our brand and deepen our understanding of our existing customers to better meet their needs.
Improve customer convenience
Customers love The Works, and we are focused on making shopping in our stores easier and more convenient.
What will we do?
- Deliver our product offer and trading plans consistently and to high standards.
- Tailor store space to ensure our product ranges better meet the needs of local customers.
- Improve product availability by ensuring the right products are in the right store, supported by online visibility for customers.
- Introduce The Works to more customers by opening stores in new communities.
What will it deliver?
We will improve customer experience by making it easier for customers to find the products they want in store.
Be a lean and efficient operator
To continue offering customers great value, we need to be more efficient and keep our costs low.
What will we do?
- Improve our product margins through strong supplier partnerships and effective stock management.
- Transform the way we work, through new and improved systems and simplified processes.
- Control our operating costs, ensuring every penny is spent and invested wisely.
- Grow store sales and increase the value of every visit to support a more efficient operation.
What will it deliver?
We will offer fantastic value to our customers while improving profit to support investing in The Works’ long-term growth.
People and planet
Our strategy is supported by our people and planet commitments.
What will we do?
- Improve our colleague experience with a focus on personal growth, belonging and wellbeing.
- Give back to the communities we service through our charity partnerships and local fundraising.
- Minimise our climate impact through lowering emissions, conserving our resources and reducing our waste.
- Establish key supplier partnerships to be the retailer of choice to work with, mitigate risk and source our products in an ethical and legally compliant way.
What will it deliver?
We will make positive and sustainable changes for our people, our communities and our planet, helping us inspire reading, learning, creativity and play, for generations to come.
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