Primark invests EUR 62 million in Italia and hires 1,000 workers

A 62 million euro investment plan will lead to the opening of eight more shops and a logistics platform, with the hiring of a thousand employees. Ten years after its arrival in Italia, Primark, the Irish low-cost clothing chain that also sells travel, home and personal care items and gadgets of all kinds, wants to consolidate its positions in the Peninsula with the opening of two shops in Naples and one each in Rome, Parma, Perugia, Gorizia, Cremona and Ancona. "In the last decade, Primark has invested over 200 million in Italia," emphasises Luca Ciuffreda, director of the Italian office, announcing the chain's next strategies.

By the end of the year, the brand will have 28 stores, more than 6,000 employees, and sales could reach EUR 1 billion, compared to 754.4 million sales 2025 and a profit of 14 million. A slightly upward trend compared to the almost 730 million sales 2024 with a profit of 12.7 million. 'The sales situation is a bit uncertain due to inflation and rising costs,' says Ciuffreda. 'Despite everything we continue to invest. The cornerstone of the growth strategy and at the same time for the streamlining of the internal organisation will be the logistics hub under construction near Alessandria, a few kilometres from Genoa. Construction work is scheduled to be completed in November, while the start of production is set for the beginning of next year. More than 200 people will work here. "This new growth phase for us represents much more than a simple expansion of our retail network," continues the director of Primark Italia. "The Peninsula is one of those markets where more shops are being opened.

Recently, the chain has been adapting its development plans to the economic situation. Not only large shops of around 5,000 square metres like the one in Arese, near Milan, or the one in Via Torino in Milan, but for the next openings, which will all be in shopping centres, they are also aiming at smaller areas like those in Livorno and Biella. The chain also wants to shake off the low-cost image by listening to the demands of consumers who want a better price-quality ratio and the perception that clothes should last a long time.

As far as new hires are concerned, 'in Italia sales staff are offered a fixed-term or part-time contract with the possibility of subsequently moving to a permanent contract depending also on the shops' needs,' adds Laura Finocchiaro, Head of Human Resources. The company cooperates with associations such as Second Chance, for the employment of prisoners who can benefit from the Smuraglia law, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and Special Olympics to support people with intellectual disabilities. To date, about 70 people work in Primark's Italian shops thanks to these projects.

Globally, the company is committed to verifying working conditions at subcontractor factories. "We have suppliers in 15 countries producing in a hundred or so factories and to verify working conditions we have at corporate level a team of 160 Primark employees who do unannounced audits," Ciuffreda continues. Within the Primark system, the Italian branch also has the role of a regional headquarters or a springboard that collaborates in landing in other markets. This is what has been done in Slovenia, for the opening of the Ljubljana shop, but also in Qatar and Dubai, bringing the know-how gained in Italia and training local staff.