Primark is expanding its click-and-collect service to all British stores by the end of 2025 as its first half profits surge.
Pre-tax profit across owner Associated British Foods surged 37% to £881m while the fashion retailer experienced a “significant increase” in adjusted operating profit, up 46% to £508m.
Primark’s sales jumped 7.5% to £4.5bn in the 24 weeks to 2 March, as like-for-like sales edged up 2.1%.
Growth was driven by newly-opened stores and by last year’s “carefully selected price increases” to offset inflation, which helped margins increase from 8.3% to 11.3%.
In the UK, sales grew 4.3% against the same period last year, driven by like-for-like sales growth of 3.6%.
Primark said it will be expanding its click-and-collect service to all 184 stores in England, Scotland and Wales by the end of 2025, following a successful 18-month trial.
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Alongside the nationwide expansion, it will also add new categories and products available to buy online, with men’s and selected home and lifestyle products and ranges to join the newly extended service.
Primark chief executive Paul Marchant said: “Our trial of click and collect over the last 18 months has been about understanding how we can offer our customers greater convenience to shop with us wherever they are, but in a way that complements our business and our stores.”
“We’re now confident that we’ve found a model that can do both and support us with our plans to grow the business.
“The feedback from our customers has been positive as they really value the convenience our service offers and we’re also seeing it’s reaching new customers too. I am excited to see this expand and give more people more reasons to choose Primark and discover the great value and ranges we have in store.”
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