The Official Word
Here’s an edited version of what their website says (we also want to point out that the surprising thing about Primark is that it does not have the feel of a Wal-Mart (Adsa in England, btw) or a K-Mart. The styling is very upscale. We don't really know the general consensus of how fashionable Brits -- is that an oxymoron? More on that later -- view Primark, but we're enamoured.)

Primark is a retail group in the value sector and operates a total of 162 stores in the UK , Spain and Ireland , where it trades under the Penneys brand. Primark employs 24, 736 people ( Republic of Ireland 3, 700, Spain 363 ).

Over the 18 months from September 2005 to March 2007, Primark will have increased its selling space by over 70% and will have opened 52 stores, including 4 in the Republic of Ireland ( Dundrum Town Centre, Swords, Mullingar and Ballina which will open on 13 th March ) and the first two in Spain (Plenilunio in Madrid and Nueva Condomina in Murcia). Both stores are trading excellently. A major store will also open in Oxford Street in the first week of April and a further 15 stores will open this year, including 3 in Spain . A number of smaller stores will have closed in this period.

There are two distribution centres – a 650, 000 sq. ft. unit at Magna Park in Leicestershire, and a 200, 000 sq. ft unit at Naas. Primark Stores Ltd., is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods. Associated British Foods is a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group with global sales of £6.0bn, and 75,000 employees in 46 countries.

Primark is a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Primark is able to sell good-quality, value for money fashion for many reasons:

· we buy direct from the factories;

· we don’t run expensive advertising campaigns;

· we buy a lot of clothes – so can pass on economies of scale;

· we sell simple and classic designs which are not complicated to make;

· we only produce clothes in the most popular sizes.

Awards:

In December 2006, Primark was awarded ‘Retailer of the Year' at the Annual Awards of the British Council for Shopping Centres. In October 2006, Primark received the award for the ‘ Most Improved Store on the High Street' and runner up in the award category ‘ Best Shop in which to spend £50' in the Company Magazine High Street Awards 2006. In September 2006, Primark received the ‘ Value for Money' Award at the Prima Fashion High Street Awards, for the second consecutive year. In July 2006, Primark was awarded ‘ Town Centre Deal of the Year' at the Retail and Leisure Awards and the ‘ UK Retailer of the Year ' Award at the prestigious 2006 RL Global Awards. In December 2005, Arthur Ryan, Primark's Chairman & Managing Director was named ‘Most Influential Person in High Street Fashion' by Drapers Record. Primark was awarded the “ Shop Agents Society Town Centre Retailer of the Year 2005”. In May 2005, it was awarded the “ GMTV High Street Fashion Award” in the “ Best Budget Fashion Section” and in November 2005 the “High Street Retailer of the Year” at the Retail Property and Development Awards 2005 .

Primark Value Proposition:

Primark targets young, fashion-conscious under 35's, offering them high quality, fashion basics at value for money prices. Almost half of sales are in Womenswear. A quarter of sales is dedicated to Menswear and Childrenswear , with other items constituting the remaining sales. Buying and Merchandising teams in Reading and Dublin travel internationally to source and buy up-to-the-minute fashion basics that best reflect each season's key fashion trends. Primark's offer to the customer is one of high-quality merchandise, at value for money, backed by Primark's service promise. Primark prides itself on its loyal customer base.