Primark has announced plans to launch a home delivery service in Britain, marking a significant U-turn after years of resisting online sales, including during the pandemic. The retailer's parent company, Associated British Foods, has bought a warehouse in Sheffield to enable shipping to customers' homes, though no launch date has been given. Analysts say the move reflects the mounting pressure Primark faces from ultra-fast-fashion rivals such as Shein and Boohoo, as well as platforms like Vinted and TikTok Shop, which have reset customer expectations around convenience.

Primark only began selling online in 2022, via a click-and-collect service that still required shoppers to visit a store. ABF expects Primark's UK sales to rise around 1% in the fourth quarter, though like-for-like sales are forecast to be broadly flat in the UK and down 3% globally, partly due to hot weather delaying autumn/winter clothing sales. Analysts warned that profitability will be the real test, given Primark's low prices and the higher return rates typical of online fashion sales, while ABF is also preparing to spin off Primark from its food business next year.