Primark's claim – "we provide affordable choices for everyone, from great quality everyday essentials to stand-out style across women's, men's and kids" – sounds admirable enough. But are cheaper shops of Primark's ilk another contributing factor to the demise of the town centre? Or is Primark a remarkable place to shop? Is it perhaps one of the remaining reasons for many to come into the town? Or does online access to the brand negate that occurrence?
On my recent visit to look at how the town centre had changed since I moved away, I walked past Primark and rather dismissed it, by saying "I'm not a fan". I've been into the store a couple of times with my daughter – her choice. So last time out I walked past – this time I'm going in!
I may be some time.
A brief history
I'm not sure why, but I was surprised to find that Primark was an Irish company, founded by Arthur Ryan in Dublin in 1969, originally named Penneys. Said to be synonymous with value fashion, selling the latest styles at modest prices, it was so successful it has expanded worldwide with a total of 451 stores in the present day, 192 of them in the UK. Operating at the low-cost end of the market, the company is still popular with shoppers seeking the latest fashion items at modest prices.
"The value of Primark in the UK, its primary market, has increased dramatically over the past decade, with stores in the country reaching a net worth of over 500 million pounds in 2023. In the previous years, this figure had remained stable, hovering around the billion-pound mark, which is impressive considering the economic difficulties faced by the retail industry over this time period" (Source: Statista Research Department, 12 December 2024).
The same source holds that the majority of fashion store customers have heard of Primark, giving it a 'brand awareness' score of 94 per cent in 2024. Half of them confirmed they liked the brand and had shopped there. There was, however, no mention of frequency or time frame which rather dilutes that statistic.
Statistics can be manipulative and misleading.
The questions
Does 'modest' and 'low cost' equate to 'cheap'? The difference in perception created by the latter description is unmistakable.
Are their clothes good value?
Who makes up their customer demographic?
Has Primark pushed other shops from our high streets with its more affordable products?
Are they an ethical company?
I must park my long-held assumption that 'cheapness' is the main consideration behind Primark's popularity, and enter its portals with an open mind. My mission will be to find a blouse or a dress for me and a T-shirt that I would happily buy for my son for his upcoming birthday.
I shall also try not to be influenced by the comedic view of Primark, for example, being called the 'disposable clothing company'. If you love comedy and don't mind bad language, take a look at Primark seen through the eyes of a Canadian, Tom Stade. It raised a smile and struck a chord with me. There are also some good sardonic observational videos on the brand by Milo McCabe aka Troy Hawke (Comedian).
The answers
According to Primark, their research with Hubbub and the University of Leeds has found that some of their 'more affordable' items tested for durability had outperformed more expensive items to show that price alone is not necessarily a marker of quality. The test was to wash them 46 times apparently – which seems fascinatingly arbitrary.
NB: Is 'more affordable' given here by them another synonym for cheap?
The pros
The huge rise in online shopping has resulted in thousands of high street closures but Primark has always been a big believer in physical stores and is allegedly "somewhat of an internet refusenik". However, it has now established a purely click and collect, non-delivery, service around the country.
I was impressed with this clever strategy – getting customers into the store to pick up their items, where they may then be tempted to browse and buy more.
It also does have the added bonus of bringing shoppers into the town centre.
Primark has unveiled a "new affordable 49-piece adaptive clothing range for men and women which includes wardrobe staples based on Primark's bestsellers – from trench coats and tees, to jumpers and jeans, all with features designed around the needs of disabled people or those experiencing temporary disability".
Hopefully other stores will emulate this inspirational project. Five stars for this venture, sensitively marketed as 'adaptive' clothing, this range can be ordered online and delivered free.
Their stated sustainability awareness campaign, and the Primark Cares project appear laudable and are perhaps an attempt to weather the storm (pun intended) of rumours about the environmental cost of fast fashion that circulated a few years ago. They do have a Textile Takeback scheme in-store too.
The cons
My personal reasons for not buying there:
Much of what they sell is young and skimpy fashion – neither of which describes me. It would be more a case of mutton dressed as lamb as the saying goes. I don't really see myself as Rita Ora (an in-store range). Nor does anyone else come to that.
A dress that caught my eye cost only £28 but was a mix of polyester, viscose and nylon; a blouse was polyester and polyamide. I find these fibres uncomfortable to wear.
The main availability of pure cotton was in the T-shirt ranges but I would have to do a durability test myself to believe their longevity claims. I still have favourite T-shirts that have lasted 20 or more years from Gap, Levi, Marco Polo for example and the cotton fabric still feels better and softer. And has had many more than 46 washes. In that time many consumers would have bought 20 Primark tees which rather negates the idea of them being a bargain.
I prefer a more individual selection – this does not just apply to Primark but to most fashion shops, who have rows of rails with the same garment in different sizes and possibly colours. It's why I love TK Maxx, where you can hunt for a bargain amidst a jumble sale of items.
A worry has also been the whispers of Primark scandals over the years concerning labour conditions – which had formed my initial opinion of 'cheap and nasty'. On the surface they have policies in place that sound very robust and genuine. But I dug a bit deeper…and found an organisation called Ethical Consumer (30 years in practice with good reviews), which debunked that assertion and claimed in June 2024 that: "Primark still faces multiple allegations suggesting that it has failed to live up to its policies."
On examination these are policies covering all aspects of their dealings including people (working conditions, pay and cancelled contracts) and animal welfare as well as in the spheres of environmental pollution and politics (finance).
They don't appear to have refuted any of these claims unless this is ongoing.
(An independent, not-for-profit, multi-stakeholder co-operative with open membership).
Conclusion
Putting aside personal preferences, I was surprised to find that I was initially impressed with much of the store's stated ethos and adaptability. It must always have been imaginative and progressive or ultimately it wouldn't be as successful as it is today.
There is no doubt that it provides the viable option of attractive, affordable fashion clothing for many people – those on a budget or who love a bargain. Sadly, in the current economic climate that may often be a choice driven by necessity, not necessarily preference. I wonder too if it is always an informed choice.
Is this question of ethical soundness always going to be a debate on the table? Does anyone care? This is not a question aimed at those who shop there – but it could be a question for regulatory bodies like the International Compliance Association (ICA) which monitor and investigate unethical practices. It would seem to me to be a good idea for the government to take more decisive action in this arena: companies like Asda, Tesco, Amazon and Nestlé for example, have had very poor reputations for years. Hmmm…an interesting, but very tangled subject I imagine.
Did I buy a blouse or a dress? No. Primark may be 'affordable' but I'd rather have a smaller amount of good quality clothes that 'feel' right, than a plethora of synthetic 'bargains', from an exploitative company.
The 'Battle of the Band' tees in Primark looked quite interesting at £12 and 100 per cent cotton, but I wasn't sure. Instead, I found my son an Abercrombie and Fitch top, a brand he loves, in pristine condition, from the Outreach Charity Shop, not far from Primark in Westgate Street, for just £7.50. Worry not – it means money saved will buy another couple of presents for him!
In charity shops you can find real treasure, with the added bonus of helping others.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Ipswich.co.uk.
