Primark primed to overtake Next as UK's No 2 clothing retailer (2024)

Primark is on track to overtake Next as the UK’s second biggest clothing retailer this year after strong sales over the winter.

Low prices, aviator jackets, children’s clothing and new makeup ranges helped Primark outperform rivals – even though it does not sell online, the source of most sales growth in the sector.

Sales rose 4% at Primark’s UK stores open for more than a year in the 16 weeks to 6 January, analysts estimated.

The clothing chain said it had benefited because it kept prices steady. Many rivals had increased prices in response to rising costs caused by the fall in the value of the pound since the Brexit vote.

Kate Ormrod, an analyst at GlobalData Retail, said Primark’s strong end to 2017 in the UK, after 10% total domestic growth in its previous financial year, meant it was likely to overtake Next.

Primark holds a 6.9% share of the clothing market by value, compared with Next at 7.1%. Marks & Spencer remains the UK’s biggest clothing retailer with an 8.1% share.

“The clothing sector is polarised, as mid-market players such as Next, M&S and Debenhams lose out to premium and value rivals, with Primark adept at capitalising on shoppers trading down,” Ormrod said.

All three chains are closing stores while Primark continues to expand. All of Next’s growth over Christmas was online, where sales rose 13.6%; its high street stores suffered a 6.1% slump.

In contrast, Primark plans to open 1.2m sq ft of space internationally this year. In the UK, it opened a store in Charlton, south London, and a larger outlet in Rotherham in November.

The rise of the cut-price clothing chain mirrors the changes taking place in the grocery market where traditional supermarkets are losing share to discounters Aldi and Lidl.

John Bason, the finance director of Primark’s parent company, Associated British Foods (ABF), said the number of visitors to its UK stores had risen, and womenswear sales were up despite many of its rivals reporting a tough Christmas, particularly on the high street.

“It’s all about the merchandise and the prices we’ve got,” he said. “There was no inflation across the piece.”

Primark performed significantly better in the UK than in the rest of Europe where analysts said sales fell up to 6% at established stores.

Total sales for the group rose 7% as it opened 8% more space, suggesting an overall 1% fall at established stores over the period.

Shares in ABF slid 3.6% on Thursday as analysts were disappointed by the poor performance in other European countries and a 12% fall in revenues at the group’s sugar business amid falling prices for the commodity.

The decline across much of the continent was partly caused by unseasonably warm weather in October in many countries. Sales at Primark’s existing stores, particularly in the Netherlands, were also down because the retailer had opened more stores.

Primark’s strong performance bucks the trend in the UK as it does not sell goods online and so is missing out on the shift to home deliveries.

  • Total non-food retail sales fell 1.4% nationwide in the three months to 30 December, according to the monthly British Retail Consortium and KPMG sales monitor, the lowest since March 2009. Online sales of non-food rose 6.2%.

  • Primark’s website and social media activity play a key role in tempting shoppers into stores, according to Bason.

  • The company has 11 million followers, nearly half of whom are on Instagram. Primark’s social media following is rising rapidly as young people increasingly use their mobile phones to browse fashions before heading into stores.

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  • Primark primed to overtake Next as UK's No 2 clothing retailer (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the Primark supply chain scandal? ›

    Primark was stung in January by an undercover BBC investigation that found one of its UK supplier factories, TNS, was employing illegal workers and paying some staff just £3.50 an hour, well below the legal minimum wage of £4.77 for those aged 18 to 21 and £5.73 for those over 22.

    What is the Primark strategy? ›

    The Primark Cares strategy includes nine commitments across 'product', 'planet' and 'people' up to 2030. Highlights from the latest financial year include that 45% of all clothing sold during the year included recycled or more sustainable source material, up from 25% at launch.

    Why Primark was so successful? ›

    It is price combined with an overwhelming large number of fashion items to choose from in their stores. At the bottomline, they sell the kid-in-the-candy-store feeling, the Oh-My-God-I-can-buy-all-of-this-and-still-have-money-left experience. That is their value proposition and that is why they are successful.

    What is the executive summary of Primark? ›

    Executive summary

    Provision of highly competitive prices through the use of technology, efficient distribution and due to supply and volume buying from suppliers. It also targets the right market and focuses on the market with the right products.

    Why are people boycotting Primark? ›

    Shoppers are threatening to boycott Primark after a woman was left distressed and in tears as the result of an in-store policy people are calling 'disgusting' and dangerous. The woman was left fearing for her safety when two men entered the changing room in which she was trying on clothes.

    Why does Primark have a bad reputation? ›

    Is Primark ethical? Our research highlights several ethical issues with Primark, including environmental reporting, pollution and toxics, workers' rights, animal rights, animal testing, use of controversial technologies, anti-social finance and likely use of tax avoidance strategies.

    Who are Primark's target audience? ›

    Primary Target Market: The primary target market for Primark is young adults aged 18-30 who are price-sensitive, fashion-conscious and looking for trendy and affordable clothing. This demographic values staying on-trend and updating their wardrobe regularly without breaking the bank.

    What is Primark's mission statement? ›

    Adored by fashion fans for 50 years, our aim is to bring affordable fashion to everyone around the world. We offer a wide range of products, stocking everything from baby to menswear, home to womenswear.

    What is a threat to Primark? ›

    Ethical concerns and sustainability: Primark has faced criticism for its alleged unethical labor practices and negative environmental impact due to its fast-fashion model. These concerns can harm the company's reputation and make it less attractive to environmentally and socially conscious consumers.

    What are key facts about Primark? ›

    Primark is a leading international clothing retailer employing more than 72,000 people in 15 countries – and growing. Everything we do is built around everyday affordability: from great quality essentials to standout style, trendsetters to multi-generational families, everyone is welcome at Primark.

    Why are clothes at Primark so cheap? ›

    "Primark's prices are low because Primark operates differently to other retailers," he said. According to Martinez de Larramendi, here's why: Primark orders clothes in very big volumes so suppliers are able to offer lower prices to Primark because they can achieve efficiencies of scale, such as ordering fabric in bulk.

    What is Primark unique selling point? ›

    About Primark
    Primark Overview
    Tagline/ SloganLook good, pay less
    USPOne of the largest clothing retailers in Europe
    Primark STP
    SegmentationYouth primarily in the ages of 16-30 years
    5 more rows
    Sep 14, 2021

    What is the competitive pricing strategy of Primark? ›

    PRIMARK follows a “competitive pricing strategy”. This strategy is used by the company when the company sells its products at a lowest price than of the competitors. This strategy is also used when the company operates in the similar market .

    Who is Primark head of strategy? ›

    Sam Jackson - Head Of Strategy - Primark | LinkedIn.

    How is Primark doing in America? ›

    This year, Primark's revenue came in at 7.7 billion pounds, or a 43% increase over last year. Primark opened its first U.S. store in 2015, in Boston. Throughout, 2020 and 2021, the company opened a few new locations as in New Jersey's American Dream mall, as well as in Chicago and Philadelphia.

    Who is Primark biggest competition? ›

    Market Competition

    High street competition in Primark's core markets comes mainly from H&M and Inditex, who operate similar models at global scale, this has made them two of the largest fashion retailers in the world.

    Is Primark still popular? ›

    Primark's performance in its primary market

    The vast majority of fashion store customers in the United Kingdom have heard of Primark, which had a brand awareness of 94 percent in 2022.

    Is Primark poor quality? ›

    The quality is terrible. Most things will only survive one or two washes. Primark is certainly not the place to shop if you want decent stuff, it's more throwaway fashion!

    Is Primark similar to Walmart? ›

    Prices in Primark stores may be similar to what you find in Walmart (WMT). But the store atmosphere is very different. It strives to be young and edgy -- similar to H&M or Forever 21. In September, Primark opened its first U.S. store in Boston.

    Where does Primark get their clothes from? ›

    Number of supplier factories of Primark as of October 2022, by country
    CharacteristicNumber of supplier factories
    China444
    India112
    Bangladesh103
    Turkey81
    9 more rows
    May 3, 2023

    Who are Primark's main customers? ›

    primark.com Audience Demographics

    Audience composition can reveal a site's current market share across various audiences. primark.com's audience is 36.70% male and 63.30% female. The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 year olds (Desktop).

    What is Primark's slogan? ›

    Primark's motto was “Look good, pay less”, but its success owed little to conventional marketing.

    What is Primark's aim and objective? ›

    Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark aims to provide affordable choices for everyone, from great quality everyday essentials to stand-out style across women's, men's and kids', as well as beauty, homeware and accessories.

    What is this mission statement? ›

    A mission statement is a brief statement that outlines an organization's purpose, goals, and values. It serves as a guide for decision-making and helps to keep the organization on track.

    What are three threats examples? ›

    Other examples of threat include these:
    • Bank robbers for banks.
    • Car thieves for cars.
    • Fake money.
    • False checks, and/or.
    • Computer viruses.
    Dec 1, 2022

    What are the challenges of Primark UK? ›

    Primark sees supply chain disruption result in limited availability on 'small number of lines'
    • Primark enjoyed a bounce in sales following the initial reopening of stores this year.
    • Congestion at ports has affected the retailer.
    • Rivals such as Next have also experienced supply chain challenges.
    Nov 9, 2021

    What is an example of 2 potential threats to a business? ›

    What are your threats? They might include your peer companies' relative strength, an industry-wide shortage of materials needed to make your products or a sluggish economy.

    What questions are asked at Primark interview? ›

    33 Primark interview questions
    • What do you know about Primark?
    • How would you describe your customer service skills?
    • What experience do you have working in the retail industry?
    • What attracts you to Primark?
    • Describe a time when you had to deal with a challenging customer.
    Feb 16, 2023

    How do Primark attract customers? ›

    The company produces simple trends, manufactures the most popular sizes and therefore utilizes economies of scale to pull the prices down for the end users. Amazon's dynamic pricing has enabled Primark to price its products as per the behavior and buying patterns of the online visitors.

    What are the sustainability goals of Primark? ›

    Our Commitments
    • GIVING CLOTHES A LONGER LIFE. Our clothes will be recyclable by design, made of recycled or sustainably sourced materials and they will last for longer.
    • PROTECTING LIFE ON THE PLANET. ...
    • IMPROVING PEOPLE'S LIVES. ...
    • Our Primark Cares strategy is enabled by and underpinned by five key principles:

    Is Primark still fast-fashion? ›

    The aforementioned brands from Zara and Primark, to Shein and H&M, are just some of the most influential fast-fashion brands on the planet.

    Does Primark sell used clothes? ›

    Wanna shop Primark and pre-loved at the same time? We've got you covered. Introducing Wornwell, our new in-store concessions offering the best in branded and non-branded vintage clothing.

    Why are smaller clothes more expensive? ›

    The cost of a garment is basically made up of 3 things: the material, the time of the seam (the salary of the seamstress) and the additional materials. Logically, the smaller the product, the lower the price, because less material is used and less sewn.

    What are your unique selling point answers? ›

    A unique selling point (USP) defines in a short sentence or two that makes your business better than your competitors and why customers should buy from you—what they care about the most. A USP could be: Lowest price. Highest quality.

    What is this pricing strategy? ›

    A pricing strategy takes into account segments, ability to pay, market conditions, competitor actions, trade margins and input costs, amongst others. It is targeted at the defined customers and against competitors.

    Who is Primark's competitive rivalry? ›

    The other five competitors in the top 10 list are topcashback.co.uk (8.0M visits in April 2023), studio.co.uk (5.0M visits in April 2023), oliverbonas.com (1.2M visits in April 2023), halfords.com (9.2M visits in April 2023), and theworks.co.uk (1.6M visits in April 2023).

    What differentiation strategy does Primark use? ›

    Product leadership is established through strong product differentiation so that customers are ready to pay a premium price for the products. Primark has adopted the earlier strategy of cost leadership. This strategy is pursued by companies selling affordable products across all sectors.

    What are the three 3 components of the executive summary? ›

    What is included? An executive summary should summarize the key points of the report. It should restate the purpose of the report, highlight the major points of the report, and describe any results, conclusions, or recommendations from the report.

    Does an executive summary have a conclusion? ›

    How Do You End An Executive Summary? Although the executive summary begins a document, it concludes so that it can stand alone from the rest of the content and still be of value. Use the conclusion to recap your findings, make recommendations, and propose solutions to the problem.

    What is the summary of a project? ›

    What is a Project Summary? (Definition) A project summary is a document that contains a concise, comprehensive overview of an entire project and its key details. It usually consists of a project's objectives, background information, requirements, problems, analysis, and conclusion.

    What is Primark's corporate social responsibility? ›

    We know that we have a responsibility to respect human rights and we take that responsibility very seriously. Our Supply Chain Human Rights Policy sets out our approach to protect the human rights of the people who make our products, as well as those providing the goods and services to help us run our business.

    What organizational structure is Primark? ›

    As shown in the figure 1(b) below, the organisational structure of Primark is a matrix structure where employees work similar to a functional organisational structure, manage function based departments and have to report to their respective managers but at times they may also be assigned tasks by different manager from ...

    Who is head of people and culture Primark? ›

    Lorraine Culligan - Group Director People and Culture - Primark Stores Limited | LinkedIn.

    What has Primark been accused of? ›

    Fashion brands H&M, Primark & Zara owner accused of exploiting Bangladesh workers. The study found that 'highest proportion' of unfair business practices included major brands such as H&M, Next, Primark and Zara owner Inditex.

    What happened to the supply chain issue? ›

    The surge in demand for finished goods at a time when supply was severely limited in part due to pandemic-related labor shortages and shutdowns —notably of cities, factories and manufacturing hubs in China — knocked the global logistics system out of whack.

    Who messed up the supply chain? ›

    Supply chain problems emerged during COVID-10 lockdowns due to shifts in demand, labor shortages and structural factors. Evolving geopolitical factors are now causing new risks and pockets of stress. Affected sectors include metals and mining, chemicals, automotives, semiconductors and technology.

    Was there a fight in Primark? ›

    Two women have been caught on camera fighting inside the world's biggest Primark, before falling to the floor. Shocked shoppers watched on as the pair scrap, grabbing at each others clothes and whacking shopping bags at each other.

    What did Primark used to be called? ›

    And the Primark we all know and love today, the retailer with over 370 stores around the world, began as Penneys: a single store on Mary Street in Dublin city centre back in 1969.

    Who is Primark's main competitor? ›

    Primark has been a surprising and innovative business model in the fashion retail industry. In the last years, it has been gradually increasing its global apparel market share to become one of the largest players behind Inditex, H&M, Gap, and Fast Retailing (Uniqlo).

    Will there be food shortages in 2023? ›

    It was a bad year for food shortages in 2022, with categories including eggs and baby formula hit hard. Unfortunately, 2023 could see its own batches of food shortages. Here's what consumers should start stocking up on now before prices soar and products likely become harder to find on store shelves.

    Why is there a supply chain shortage 2023? ›

    There are several reasons why you might have manufacturing constraints, but the primary drivers are people, materials, and equipment. As we've covered, materials shortages and long lead times will continue to be an issue this year, as will labor shortages.

    What is the biggest supply chain issue today? ›

    Among the most common supply chain challenges in 2021 and 2022 were things like port congestion, manufacturing delays, and extreme weather events (including hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and more).

    Why is the US supply chain failing? ›

    While the supply chain shortages started with COVID, they're also due to increased consumer demand, which was fueled by the federal stimulus checks that we probably didn't need to keep the economy recovering. We just didn't understand how consumer demand was going to shift, once the pandemic began to ease.

    How long will supply chain issues last? ›

    Most supply chain managers expect problems to continue at least through 2024. More than half of logistics managers surveyed by CNBC do not expect the supply chain to return to normal until 2024 or after. The dour outlook comes after almost three years of global supply chain problems.

    Why is the supply chain so screwed up? ›

    A lack of labor, trucks, warehouse capacity and rail infrastructure all started to create significant supply chain challenges in handling the surge of cargo.

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