Business Forum • 7 August, 2024 at 4:28 PM
Primark, the international fashion retailer, has today opened its third store in Romania and first location in the western part of the country in Iulius Mall, part of the mixed-use Iulius Town, Timișoara. The highly anticipated new store, located on the first floor of Iulius Mall, welcomed its first customers at 10.00am this morning. With an investment of €10 million in the new store and 150 new jobs created locally the opening marks another milestone for Primark's expansion in Romania.
Primark Iulius Town spans over 3,200 square meters across one floor, bringing the retailer's unique formula of trending fashion and everyday essentials alongside beauty, lifestyle and homeware, all at affordable prices.
This week, Primark shared its commitment to freezing prices on hundreds of its much-loved kids' clothing essentials to support families with their Back-to-School shopping needs. This includes jeans, sweatshirts and padded jackets, meaning families can continue to shop them in store at the same low prices as last year.
Primark is continuing to offer more sustainably sourced products that everyone can afford. Already, 55% of its clothes are made using recycled or more sustainably sourced materials, and the retailer has committed to making this 100% by 2030.
The new opening is part of Primark's ambitious growth plans in Central and Eastern Europe, where the brand already has stores in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Slovakia. This opening comes a year and a half after the retailer entered Romania with its first two stores in ParkLake Shopping Centre and AFI Cotroceni, Bucharest respectively. The retailer has also announced plans to add two further stores in Romania in VIVO! Shopping Centre, Cluj-Napoca and Electroputere Mall, Craiova in the coming years.
Ruben Lațcău, Deputy Mayor of Timișoara, said: "We are happy that 150 new jobs are being created in Timișoara, including the possibility of working part-time for young people and those who need a flexible work schedule. In addition, Primark is a well-known international brand, and we are glad that Timișoara proves once again that it is a pole for investments."
Maciej Podwojski, Head of CEE at Primark said: “We are delighted to open our doors today and welcome customers in Timișoara to our new Primark Iulius Mall store. We've had a great welcome in Romania since our arrival in late 2022 and it's fantastic to see our offering of affordable fashion resonate locally. I would like to thank my colleagues who have been working hard on this opening, making sure we deliver the best in-store experience to our customers.”
Primark Iulius Mall becomes the retailer's 448th store globally. Primark operates across 17 international markets, employing over 80,000 colleagues. In 2024, the retailer is celebrating 55 years in business since opening its doors in Dublin, Ireland in 1969.
Primark is an international fashion retailer employing more than 80,000 colleagues across 17 countries in Europe and the US. Founded in Ireland in 1969 under the Penneys brand, Primark aims to provide affordable choices for everyone, from great quality everyday essentials to stand-out style across women's, men's and kids, as well as beauty, homeware and accessories. With a focus on creating great retail experiences, Primark has over 440 stores globally and continues to expand with the aim of reaching 530 stores by the end of 2026.
Primark is working to make more sustainable fashion affordable for everyone through its Primark Cares strategy, a multi-year programme that focuses on giving clothing a longer life, protecting life on the planet and supporting the livelihoods of the people who make Primark clothes. As part of this, Primark unveiled nine commitments it is working to achieve by 2030. These commitments include making all of its clothes from recycled or more sustainably sourced materials by 2030, halving carbon emissions across its value chain and pursuing a living wage for workers in its supply chain.