Primark plans to launch a home delivery service in Britain after years of resistance, marking a major shift for a retailer that refused to offer online shopping even during pandemic lockdowns. The company has purchased a warehouse in Sheffield to enable shipments to homes, though it has not announced a launch date.
The move reflects changing retail habits. Online sales accounted for 27.3% of all retail transactions in August 2024, up from 18.1% in August 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics. Retail analysts say Primark faces mounting pressure from ultra-fast-fashion competitors like Shein.
Multiple shoppers explained their preference for online purchases over in-store visits. Jess Bacon, a 29-year-old culture journalist from Peterborough, buys all her clothes online because size ranges in physical stores are "notoriously bad" and limited. "The average size woman in the UK is a size 14 or a size 16. I think a lot of people just don't feel seen or represented," she said. Primark typically stocks up to size 22, making it an exception on the High Street, but Bacon found online returns easier than traveling to stores and paying for parking.
Julia Mitchell, 32, from near Chichester, avoids clothes shops because she finds them overstimulating and prefers online bargains. She buys most items second-hand from Vinted. Sandra Davies, 61, from Sheffield, shops exclusively online because three strokes have made walking in and around stores physically difficult. She has collapsed while waiting in queues.
The High Street's decline has also driven the shift. Peterborough has lost major department stores like John Lewis, reducing reasons to visit town centers.
Julie Palmer, a retail analyst, said Primark must match competitors' return policies to succeed online. Shoppers expect free, quick returns with generous windows and multiple drop-off options, Palmer said. "When a policy is clunky or slow, customers remember it and shop elsewhere next time." Returns remain expensive for retailers, creating tension between attracting customers and managing costs.