Primark rules out online option as coronavirus hits hard
Primark has no plans to venture online despite the latest round of coronavirus related closures in markets such as the UK, Spain and Ireland costing it about £375 million of lost sales.
“I think that Covid has more demonstrated the strength of Primark than the weakness,” George Weston, Chief Executive of parent company Associated British Foods, told Reuters.
“What we’ve seen with Primark is when people are able to shop they prefer to shop with us than do so online.”
He added that the retailer had performed strongly since stores reopened, with £2 billion of sales to 12th September, stating that new stores were still being well received in new markets.
The Click and Collect model, meanwhile, wouldn’t work. “We have a high footfall, low price model. The logistics would be very difficult,” Weston said.
He also called for store trading hours to be extended in December to help retailers offset the impact of the latest round of lockdowns in the UK, its most important market.
Extending Sunday opening hours in particular “would help us, help consumers, help the high street…In some locations we could even open 24 hours. We know the demand is going to be there.”
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