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Creating employment: Primark’s socioeconomic impact across Europe

From the 2024 Annual Report

Retail is the largest private sector employer in Europe and Primark has a big part to play.

Since 2006 we have expanded outside of Ireland and the UK and further into Europe. We now have a presence in 16 markets across the geography, contributing significantly to the economies and communities in which we operate.

We employ more than 78,000 retail colleagues across these markets, offering opportunities in countries where there are sometimes high unemployment rates. In 2024, our 16 new store openings across the UK, Republic of Ireland and mainland Europe have created almost 3,000 new roles and just under 250 managerial positions. These jobs in turn contribute towards economic growth and stability in each community. In addition, in six of our key markets – the UK, Republic of Ireland, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal – we have invested in excess of £230m in new stores, extensions, relocations and refits.

Primark colleagues at our store in Lanzarote, Spain Primark colleagues at our store in Lanzarote, Spain

We provide employment opportunities at all levels. For many people we create pathways for a lifelong career. Over the last financial year we have recruited just under 9,000 colleagues aged between 16-18 and for many of those it will be their first job. We are also an attractive prospect for those who are returning to work after a break from employment. When our Nantes store opened in November 2023, 205 of the 238 hourly paid colleagues recruited were returning to work.

As well as investing in new people, we deliver training programmes for our existing colleagues to establish future leaders in our business. We have internally promoted more than 1,900 colleagues across Europe this year.

Our impact goes beyond direct employment and investment. As we continue to grow, we will directly and indirectly support thousands of jobs and help boost economic prosperity across sectors from hospitality and construction to warehousing and transportation. Research carried out by Public First and published in the UK this year showed that Primark contributes £2.6bn to the UK economy and supports 54,000 jobs. Similarly, in France another commissioned study found that we create an average of 0.7 additional local jobs for every job in store.

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