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Original poster

Primark - how on earth do they do it?

134 replies

unavailable · 10/01/2009 16:37

Yesterday, I bought in Primark for the first time.

I have been in a few of their shops, but felt to overwelmed by all the stuff and chaos to do any more then leave again swiftly.

Anyway, I saw this really nice wool dress (lined)for £12!! I was very pleased with it, but am now a bit guilty that it may have been made by 5 year olds in some slave labour sweat shop in the far east - otherwise how on earth could their stuff be so cheap?

Are Primark any worse than other companies? Can I shop there guilt free or should my first purchase be my last?

OP posts:
muppetgirl · 10/01/2009 17:16

My Mil berrates me for something similar
I buy the 75p t-shirts from asda and she says that she won't as it is supporting child labour. I said well if I boought the £15 one from Monsoon do they give more to the children they employ or do they take more in profit?

I buy lots of second hand clothes and ds 2 has all of ds 1's old clothes (including the 75p ones from asda which being 100% cotton they do actually last)

I also buy from Primark. Not loads but what we need and haven't had any problem with babygrows, vests, socks and t-shirts for the ds's. Women's clothes I do steer away from as they do seem to differ in quality.

andaSOLOnewyear · 10/01/2009 17:24

My Indian aunt reckons that these children will likely be exploited in some way regardless of Primark or other British/Western store, but at least they are earning money and they are not being forced into prostitution, selling a kidney or begging in the streets. The pittance that they are being paid to finish these garments off is in fact a good wage for most of the poorer Asians. It's not good in our terms, but they would take 50p from a westerner and eat like a king for a month on it.
There is still a huge divide between the poor and the wealthy in India. So you could take it the other way and feel that you are in fact, feeding them by buying Primark clothing.

Springflower · 10/01/2009 18:05

I'm with janeite - if you know (e.g. from newspaper reports) that shops like Primark do not treat workers fairly then by shopping there you are supporting that. I do think it is hard to know though with places where you pay more - whether you are just paying more and the workers are still treated unfairly - or whether it means they are doing better. I think we have to show that we are concerned and that we wont buy things from shops known to have a poor record e.g. reading that article makes me more likely to buy things from M&S, New Look and GAP and less likely from others.

cocolepew · 10/01/2009 18:14

Primark (pronouced PRE-mark, fact fans) is an Irish company so we have had them for years they used to always be a bit cheaper than other shops, but the stuff was pretty good quality. Becasde of The Toubles we didn't have a big range of shops to choose from.
I stopped shopping there a year ago, but took a walk through the other day. The clothes were incredibly bad quality and everything was thrown about.

Miggsie · 10/01/2009 18:21

I think the real issue is that the adults in the developing world are paid such shit wages the only way to support their family is to send their kids out to work.
Surely we should be getting companies to pay the adult workers enough that they can afford to NOT send their kids to work, and instead send them to school and therefore escape this poverty trap?

If you look at the prices of clothing made by ethical co operatives for instance the price difference is so big you know Primark and co. must be paying all the workers in their supply chain bugger all money.

janeite · 10/01/2009 18:50

Springflower - thank you so much. I was beginning to wonder if I really am living on a different planet to everybody else.

Original poster
unavailable · 10/01/2009 18:57

No, you're definitely not Janeite.

I have been rather surprised at the number of posts here that think child labour is ok.

OP posts:
OHBollox · 10/01/2009 19:11

But it's normal to them and for us to go around telling these people that they shouldn't allow their children to work and that our way is better is very patronising and who says our way is better, I mean there are no happy children in the west are there ?

OHBollox · 10/01/2009 19:11

i meant unhappy of course.

OneLieIn · 10/01/2009 19:16

Child labour is not OK. Sweatshops where there is no minimum wage, where workers are forced to work are not OK.

Don't shop in Primark.

Think about it logically - £12 of which there has to be:

  • profit
  • store staff paid
  • head office staff paid
  • transportation costs
  • supply chain costs
  • costs of material
  • costs of making it (the company who make it have to make a profit too)
  • people and labour
hkz · 10/01/2009 19:31

Agree with Janeite. Am really surprised at his thread, can't see how people can say child labour is ok, of course it's not. And there is nothing patronising about saying its not either.

OHBollox · 10/01/2009 19:33

Ok don't shop in Primark and loose how many UK jobs ?

Some people on here make me laugh, you see people in those shops who if they weren't buying cheap clothes in Primark they'd be what in GAP, I don't think so.
Yes some people go in for bargains and some people go there because that's what they can afford and the people being paid 50p per T Shirt that feeds them for a day aren't complaining are they ?

dietstartstomorrow · 10/01/2009 19:35

I don't shop in primark, asda or tescos for clothes because of this reason.

The thought of anyone being in a sweat-shop (let alone children) getting paid next to nothing just makes me feel so

OneLieIn · 10/01/2009 19:47

OhBollox - you know what - why buy from Primark? Why not shop somewhere that has a published policy on worker protection?

Its not about losing UK jobs - that is a very simplistic view. We all shopped in Woolworths and that went under. Primark won't go out of business for people not shopping there, it will go out of business for getting the strategy wrong and for bad working practices like mismanagement. If you get your strategy wrong (like selling something that no-one wants to buy) then you deserve to go under.

BTW I actually think most people don't need another dress / Tshirt / coat, most people have a lot of clothes - we are a consumer society.

OHBollox · 10/01/2009 19:56

Going out on a limb here I don't think Primarks target customer gives a toss or knows what a published policy on worker protection is.

In this climate it will be all about price and ethics go out the window, organic food sales are plummeting and fair trade will follow shortly.

I agree, we all have too many clothes etc and I do try to buy stuff that will last personally but that's because I can afford a £40 GAP coat (at the moment) but if you are seriously asking somebody who has to bring a child up on £100 a week to buy elsewhere because of child labour used by Primark you are kidding yourself.

janeite · 10/01/2009 20:01

I really, really cannot agree with any of the points you are making OhB.

This thread has made me quite depressed tbh.

OHBollox · 10/01/2009 20:18

But with respect Jan you buy organic milk and wouldn't go without it, so really have you any concept of buying clothes weather you like them or not because that's all you can afford ?

janeite · 10/01/2009 20:24

Oh, so you're following me around now?

When I was "poor" I used to shop in charity shops. The problem is that so many people now won't contemplate this and would rather buy cheap tat, or buy on the never-never.

I have also spent many years doing without things if I couldn't afford them. Too many people now WON'T do without and equate happiness with having lots and lots and lots of STUFF. I would rather have fewer clothes but better quality ones tbh.

andaSOLOnewyear · 10/01/2009 20:37

Miggsi, I believe that that is what Primark did, which is why(if anyone else noticed)their instore prices went up last Summer. It's still cheap, but not as cheap.
I have too many clothes. I can't wear them unless I can lose a stone or so, but rather than get rid of them and then have to buy more, I hang onto them in the hope that I'll wear them again. I patched up my jeans last year. Two bloody great big inner thigh patches. Nice! Necessary, but embarrassing!

OhB, I wish I had £100 a week to care for my family, I have maximum £30 pw and that goes on food. Even Primark prices are high for me.

We aren't all in the same boat financially and we have to shop(or not)where we can afford to shop. Just my opinion mind.

Original poster
unavailable · 10/01/2009 21:48

Sorry -I have not been keeping up.

OHBollox - you may be right about the "target customer" of Primark not giving a toss, although I think you are sterotyping a bit there.I started this thread talking about me. I know I am not in any way remarkable and therefore there are probably lots of shoppers who walk into Primark quite like me.

I am not rich but not poor. I dont want to buy crap (which lots of things in the shop were, but not the dress I liked). I could afford to pay more, but would need a good reason to do so (like child labour)

I know that in shops in that range I will have to trall through alot of crap, as I know that if I go to Jigsaw I will be charged way over the odds because of the "shopping experience". You pay your money and take your choice in that respect, but manufacturing processes and the morality of how companies conduct their business are not in the same league here.

I have too many clothes. I love a bargain, but not at any price.

I do appreciate that many people are in dire financial straights, and need to budget very tightly, but I dont think that shops that exploit those who have even less choices than you cannot be the answer.

OP posts:
Original poster
unavailable · 10/01/2009 21:49

or even --- can be the answer. You knew that!

OP posts:
moondog · 10/01/2009 21:51

My dh works in Bangladesh.
I am there quite often. If yo could see the miles annd miles of hellish sweatshops that exist to make this stuff, your heart would freeze and you would vomit in disgust.

janeite · 10/01/2009 22:12

That is food for thought Moondog.

lunamoon2 · 11/01/2009 00:23

Perhaps people will stop buying "for the sake of it" as it were, as I know I have done in the past both for myself and my kids.

I really need to think before I buy anything "Do I really need it?"

However I LOVE clothes shopping, it is a pastime for me (which obviously shops pery on). I heard on the radio the other week, a consumer expert telling listeners that no matter what ALL shops/supermarkets spend thousands of pounds trying to get you to part with your money.
Primark are no exception and the "jumble sale" look is in fact quite deliberate_my theory it kind of makes you feel like you are in the mists of a sale type environment which could end at any time, so buy it now, or else you will miss out!

SoLongMarianne · 11/01/2009 00:36

Looks like conditions for Primark clothes makers here aren't tvery good either...

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