The power of summer: Primark sales inch above pre-pandemic levels

The owner of Primark has put recovering sales down to the power of summer, tourism and the march back to the office.

Associate British Foods (ABF), which owns sugar ad agriculture businesses alongside the budget retailer, said sales over the past six months were four per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels, though they remain around nine per cent below on a half-year basis.

The London-listed group snagged £1.72bn from Primark sales alone in the weeks to 28 May, up 81 per cent in comparison with last year. Overall, ABF reeled in £4.04bn in the period.

Brits are flocking towards brightly coloured dresses, luggage and merchandise for the popular Netflix series Stranger Things.

However, Primark is also making waves across the pond, with sales up more than a third in the US following a string of store openings.

The company is also readying to open another store in Jamaica Avenue and Queens in New York before the end of the year, as well as others in Ireland, Czechia and Italy.

Primark is set to launch a trial of a click and collect service later this year, as the discount fashion firm experiments with its digital offering.

A range of children’s products has been selected for the trial. “We believe [the trial] has the potential to satisfy unfulfilled demand, driving footfall from both existing and new customers to deliver incremental sales in store,” Primark said.

Sarah Riding, retail partner at the law firm Gowling WLG, said: “While any sort of retail expansion carries a level at risk at the moment, Primark’s foray into this revenue stream is long overdue. However, given that their store-based footfall has defied expectations where driving high revenue is concerned, the captive audience on standby for this service seems to be better guaranteed for them than others.

“It will therefore be interesting to see how wide a net Primark casts where introducing more variety for this service as the fortunes of the trial emerge.”