Startups
We may have started small, but we’ve always had very big ideas. We launched in 2001 and we just haven’t stopped; we’re determined to be the best electrical retailer in Europe. Our customers are now our biggest advocates, and we’ve made millions of them happy by being exceptional in the moments that matter!
Overview
Location
United Kingdom
Employees
1001-5000
Phone
+44 344 324 9222
Founded date
2000
Mentions in press and media 27
| Date | Title | Description |
| Sign up to see | Sign up to see | Sign up to see |
| Jul 7, 2026 | M&S chair: Tax and employment costs holding back Britain | Rising taxes and employment costs are holding businesses back from investing in Britain and helping it “prosper,” an M&S boss has said. Archie Norman, chairman of the retail giant and former chief executive of Asda, told shareholders on... |
| Jun 17, 2026 | ‘Fantasy land’: AO World boss blasts Labour over employment costs | The boss of AO World has hit out at the government after it shifted hundreds of jobs to South Africa in a bid to dodge soaring employment costs. John Roberts, chief executive of the electrical retailer, claimed the UK’s political class live... |
| Sep 25, 2025 | Watch: Is the UK at risk of recession? | We were told this would be the most pro-business government in the history of the country – so why have a gang of top chief executives this week fired warning shots at the Treasury – and why has one of them warned that we’re heading into a ... |
| Sep 24, 2025 | Top retail boss warns UK heading into recession | The boss of AO World has warned that inflation, new red tape around hiring and higher taxes are quickly pushing the UK into a recession. “We’ve lived through a few recessions in the last 25 years – I think we’re heading into another one,” f... |
| Sep 24, 2025 | ‘We’re already at peak government inflicted costs’ BT chief warns Chancellor | The boss of BT has joined a chorus of chief executives urging the Chancellor not to raise the costs of doing business at her forthcoming Budget, warning the telecoms industry was “already at peak government inflicted costs.” In an on-stage ... |
| Sep 15, 2025 | Sainsbury’s FTSE 100 shares highest since 2014 after Argos talks | Shares in FTSE 100 supermarket giant Sainsbury’s have surged to their highest value in more than a decade after it held brief talks to sell Argos to Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com. Sainsbury’s share price has jumped by almost five per cent... |
| Jul 17, 2025 | Mike Ashley’s investments double to £1bn thanks to Hugo Boss shares | The total value of the stakes Mike Ashley’s empire holds in the likes of Hugo Boss, AO World and Boohoo have doubled to £1bn in just over a year, it has been revealed. According to the group’s latest financial results, which have been filed... |
| Apr 4, 2025 | WHSmith and Inchcape lead fall in retail stocks | UK retail stocks have dropped in value this morning, led by a sell-off of WHSmith, Inchcape and AO World. Earlier today, tax body RSM said that price rises at UK retailers as a result of the tariffs were “inevitable”. “The tariffs announced... |
| Dec 18, 2024 | Sia Partners and Blackstone: A Strategic Alliance for Growth | In the world of consulting, partnerships can be the lifeblood of growth. Recently, Sia Partners, a Dublin-based management and AI consulting firm, secured a significant investment of up to €250 million from Blackstone, one of the largest al... |
Show more
Reviews 0
FAQ about AO
When was AO founded?
AO was founded in 2000.
What has the press written about AO?
Parsers VC has collected 27 articles mentioning AO, among them “M&S chair: Tax and employment costs holding back Britain” (Jul 7, 2026) and “‘Fantasy land’: AO World boss blasts Labour over employment costs” (Jun 17, 2026).
Is AO still active?
Yes, AO is active; its latest activity on Parsers VC dates from Sep 24, 2026.