Aibu to really dislike Primark?

[Nomoet]

Tbh i tend to steer away from these discussions with my friends as I'm very much in the minority and well if people want to do what they want to do and you're not going to change their mind then what's the point?

But I was having a chat with a friend this evening about Primark who loves it and it's made me feel so uncomfortable. I think the main reason I dislike it so much is because it's ultra cheap fashion and I just don't buy that you can get stuff made that cheaply without huge compromises on standards of how people are treated in factories - whether it's child labour or working hours and working conditions or pay.

And what makes me feel cross is how many people buy willy nilly stuff from there all the time just because they can just because it's cheap when really they could go without it or get it from somewhere else and it wouldn't hurt them or certainly not as much as the person making their clothes is being hurt by these practises.

Nothing fits me properly from Primark! But DH gets cheap work 'novelty' t shirts from there (Spiderman, Marvel etc). He works with young adults with autism and three of his guys really love him wearing them. They wash well and last a couple of years easily.
I find stuff from Tesco much better for me, including knickers/pyjamas etc.
I'm a bit of a M and S bra girl though, plus buy their work trousers/tops.

My flatmates buy a lot from Primark

I am going to assume from this that you are single, no kids?
Apologies if I am wrong and I am not suggesting you have no right to comment on this issue.

It does mean that you don't have to worry about clothing growing children and if you are skint you only have to consider yourself. Your clothes will last you and you can make do.

You must surely see this is very different for people who are responsible for others?

The fact that it's cheaper in Primark makes it worse? Where's the logic in that? It means Primark is less greedy, ffs.

Apparently it's not just more expensive high street labels that use these factories but really top end ones like Burberry. Contrast Primark and Burberry prices and then tell me Primark's worse.

Its also slightly hypocritical to say you only shop in charity shops which relies on the quick throw away fashion culture to keep them stocked up.

Unless your walking round in 80's shoulder pads you are just passing the burden onto other people and then trying to tell them they are doing it wrong.

Of course but I was also a child and saw my mum struggle clothing kids and it wasn't Primark she went to.

I resent the idea that having children means you can't be responsible for how your actions might directly impact other human beings negatively as long as you can clothe your own kids. you could do this anyway plenty of people do. And like I've said it's not just poor people who go to Primark so don't know why there's all the hand wringing think of the poor going on.

YANBU to dislike Primark but ywbu to look down on people that do.

justanother - the charity point is just stupid. Sorry but it is. Hardly the same at all.

Good point on eco day. Glad that you did that and your children learned more about being green from it. I would just panic and then get to the 'hang on a minute...' afterward.

Also, OP. Did you just feel like making lots of people a bit miffed this morn when you decided to tell us not to shop in certain places and how to live our lives in general when you are single and have no idea how hard it is managing a family budget when one parent can't work due to DC additional needs?

I don't look down on people who do - I look down on people who do with the attitude of Im alright jack it keeps me clothed easy peasy and don't care how it affects others.

I used to feel the same about Primark when I could afford to shop at higher end places (I had one child then and money went a lot further!) but I’m feeling the pinch the last couple of years and when you have 3 kids to clothe, Primark are suddenly a good option for me.

At the moment I can’t really afford to turn my nose up!

it's not great tbh.
the clothes are cheap and shitty and don't last or wash well.
Just the smell of cheap clothes and shoes in the place turns my stomach.
My dd refused to go there from the age of about 8, I think she saw something on child labour on TV.
Now she is 19 and goes to TKMaxx..not sure that is heaps better..but whatever..

It has recently been banned in one country and there are moves to ban it in others.
There are concerns it stops people buying locally produced fabric and clothing.

Its a little more nuanced than that, it is to stop large charities dumping all their second hand clothing in those countries after they couldn't shift them in the UK, the countries want to help promote what small industry they have which is textiles as it gives some a means to earn money.

It's not different to a trade tariff, but these countries are doing it against the large charities instead of other countries.

YANBU. I hate those cheap shops. Even when I was hard-up I'd rather do without than enter one of these dens.

Strippervicar - I think what's really disappointing about this is rather than people just acknowledging it is what it is and how could it change there's instead just lots of justifications of but it's the only way to keep my family going when clearly that's just not true.

Also the whole you must be mc avocado jet setter based on the fact that I dislike Primark because of its gigantuous stores of cheap tat that encourages people to buy and throwaway when they don't need the stuff in the first place (of course except for the people that would be naked and barefoot without it, I won't forget them) I find disappointing. It's like until I'm gone up a social class or two clearly I can't have any of these opinions.

Oh and now the brigade of sorry you don't have a kid so you can't understand. Actually I think I can because maybe you don't know about what other dependents i might have? Or maybe despite your protestations that life is hard and you're poor you've never been as poor as me?

it's the disposable aspect of it all which infuriates me the most. The "wear it and bin it". And not just at Primark - it's the amount of total tat and shite which people are encouraged to buy year round. It's killing the planet and "Primark hauls" are disgusting.

Agree - I rarely buy new clothes as I'm still wearing ones I bought years ago! For example I have a sleeveless shift dress from Jaegar that I bought 30 years ago in the sale. It hasn't dated, it's beautifully made and fully lined and the fabric is lovely, all soft and pretty crease resistant. It cost me far more than I could afford at the time but it was money well spent.

The clothes they sell nowadays are appalling both in fabrics and quality. There is no comparison.

I don't need vast amounts of clothes I will wear a few times and look like rags after a couple of washes. Been there and learnt better.

It's the same with technology. The TV went when we were forced off analogue (still working perfectly at 30 years old but too old to have the right sort of socket to connect a converter). I do have a smartphone but it's years old. I have no plans to replace it until I have to - both for humanitarian and environmental reasons. It does all I want and more so why succumb to the constant consumer pressure to upgrade?

I would rather go to charity shops than Primark.
Hard when you have teens, I know, but when they are younger it is fine.
I have had vintage Jaeger and all sorts from charity shops.

I worked for Primark as a Saturday girl 20 years ago. Was chuffed as we all in our teens loved it.
Well it was a nightmare. I lasted 6 months. Pay was atrocious (before minimum wage for under 18s came in so was paid £2.30 an hour). Was treated as lowest of the low by section boss who made us younger ones cry for sport- she once swore blind my skirt was black instead of navy (We weren't important enough to be given uniforms so wore our own paid for navy skirt and white blouse) in front of customers and tore strips off me until a customer stood up for me. We were also expected to run after shoplifters or face the sack, even after a fellow Saturday girl did so and ended up having a knife pulled on her.
The clothes used to be ok, not going out best clothes but passable.
My DD loves the bloody place though and is given gift cards every birthday and Christmas by her aunts. The adult clothes are appalling though, the jeans are thin and ill fitting, and it's like they've highjacked Top Shops reject bin. Even the basics have daft patterns or cut outs and the tops barely cover a navel now.
It's just rubbish. But then most of what's left on the high street now is. They try too hard to recreate stuff from New York fashion week. I tried to buy some new clothes last week and found nothing at all. I actually said to DH I could see why so many stores and facing closure as it's all so nasty, cheap, flouncy and twee.

oh high five re Jaeger Elphame!

YANBU. Your life, your preference.

Actually on my way to primark now to buy lots of stretchy dresses as am pg and can't afford all new maternity clothes 🙈

Different strokes for different folks I guess. This has been an interesting read however!

The throw away consumer culture is the issue here I think, rather than one business who model themselves to take advantage of it.

If you want to go to the other extreme, how about mobile phones especially the iPhone? New model out every year, big push to get the latest & trendiest. I finally bought a new mobile this year because the battery was finally going on my 5 year old one, but I know so many people who "need" a new mobile because theirs is a whole year old & not the latest. Highly unethical especially considering the rare earths that are needed for modern phones and are a) in comparatively short supply and b) tend to be mined in horrific conditions for the workers. But I don't see anyone boycotting Apple for this attitude - is that because they aren't seen as "low class"? Or is it because they are big ticket items - £1k per year rather than £50 per month?

well while you are there Callie, spare a thought for the hordes of weeping toddlers with bleeding fingertips that made your dresses...

Joking - I do love their stretchy tops, I confess.

YANBU to dislike Primark but ywbu to look down on people that do.

Its not UR to dislike apects of culture like disposability, novelty/single use purchases

It's true about technology too to the PP. o also have a smartphone. It lasted me 6 years and have only just replaced it. Don't get the whole new iPhone coming out must buy it. Saying that I realise smart phones themselves are hugely unethical so yes I am being hypocritical. But I try to use mine for as long as possible. Dodntry getting rid of it a few years ago but was told I just wouldn't get shifts at work then (they email them out and its first come first serve)

No i think Apple are pretty despicable actually. I would boycott them too.