BOASTING a staggering 160k square feet of merchandise spread over five floors, walking into the world's largest Primark in Birmingham can be overwhelming.
We sell a lot of items. This means we're able to make savings from buying in bulk for all our stores. We do very little advertising. We design clothes that offer the latest trend but we don't use expensive hangers, tags or labels.
The cost of my M&S haul was over three times what I spent at Primark, but the quality of Marks' was 1,000 times better in my experience. Plus, their work-out gear is still cheaper than a lot of the major fitness brands.
Ever wonder what happens to stock we don't sell? We have an efficient business model, so we try to minimise excess stock. Where we do have leftover stock, we work with partners to ensure any unsold stock is donated, resold or recycled if it can no longer be worn.
Chester is famous for its black and white buildings including the Rows, medieval two-tier buildings above street level with covered walkways which today house many of Chester's shopping galleries. The city centre Cross is where you will find the Town Crier at 12 noon Tuesday-Saturday, Easter to September.
Come rain or shine Chester is the perfect place to shop with undercover shopping centres and an abundance of fashion boutiques, independent shops and high street favourites - there's something for every age group, style and budget.
The Chester Rows are the most unique element of the Chester shopping experience, lining the four main shopping streets radiating from Chester Cross of Northgate Street, Eastgate Street, Watergate Street (to the west) and Bridge Street (to the south).
Chester is on the river Dee, and is the county town of the county of Cheshire. It is near to the country Wales. Almost 120,000 people live in Chester. It is just south of Liverpool.
The Rows. One of the most fascinating and unique parts of Chester is the Rows. These two-tiered timber-framed galleries line the main streets of the city. Brimming with the city's history, they are waiting to be explored this winter.
Primark shoppers claim it has increased its sizes, as one discovered its size small is designed to fit a UK size 10 to 12, rather than a size 6 to 8. That means XXS is for sizes 4 to 6, XS is for sizes 6 to 8, medium is 12 to 14, large is 14 to 16, XL is 18 to 20 and XXL is 22 to 24.
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.
Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark's goal is to provide affordable choices for everyone, from great quality everyday essentials and standout style for women, men and kids, as well as beauty, homeware and accessories.
Paul Marchant, CEO of Primark, kicked off Drapers Inner Circle Summit 2023. He identified ways the retailer is progressing with its click and collect offering, international expansion and making headway with its sustainability strategies.
Over the years, its fashion credibility expanded with more adventurous forays into high fashion at low prices and when it opened its first UK store in 1974 it was forced to change its name to Primark because the US company JC Penney had trademarked the name in the UK.
While its original name is still used in the Republic of Ireland, the Penneys name couldn't be used internationally as it was already owned by US department store JCPenney. The company, which has since expanded throughout Europe and the US, therefore trades as Primark outside of its country of origin.
Primark also ranked at the top of brands that lack transparency over their green claims. It is SHEIN however, that tops the ranking for being the least transparent fast fashion brand in terms of sustainability, as it does not share any information about production, supply chain and the impact of its business.
We work closely with our suppliers and their factories and we always return at least once a year to make sure our standards are being maintained. In fact, our team on the ground carry out around 2,500 inspections every year to ensure workers' hours, wages and rights are protected.
