Primark grows UK sales as Sheffield site prepares for home delivery


Primark grows UK sales as Sheffield site prepares for home delivery

Primark’s sales rose 2 per cent to £9.8bn in the 52 weeks to 12 September 2026, according to annual results published on 3 November by its owner, Associated British Foods (ABF). New stores contributed 5 per cent to that growth, while like-for-like sales fell 2.6 per cent across the group.

UK and Europe

  • UK sales rose 2 per cent and like-for-like sales grew 0.5 per cent.
  • Primark’s share of the UK clothing, footwear and accessories market, including online, rose to 6.9 per cent (Kantar, 52 weeks to 13 September 2026).
  • In continental Europe, sales fell 1 per cent and like-for-like sales fell 4.7 per cent, with Germany singled out as a weak market.
  • US sales rose 13 per cent. Primark opened 14 US stores in the year and had 47 there at year end.

Primark’s adjusted operating profit fell 12 per cent at constant currency to £1.0bn, with an adjusted operating margin of 10.2 per cent. ABF said this reflected the like-for-like sales decline, related markdowns and higher spending on price, marketing and digital.

Click & Collect and home delivery

ABF said Click & Collect in Great Britain was a key contributor to UK like-for-like growth, and also drove footfall and extra purchases in store. In September Primark bought a highly automated depot in Sheffield, which ABF said gives it the fulfilment capacity to offer home delivery in Great Britain in the future and to keep growing Click & Collect. No launch date for home delivery was given.

ABF said the economics of home delivery have changed, with return policies, minimum basket sizes and delivery fees now standard across the market.

Group outlook

ABF reported group revenue of £19.58bn and adjusted operating profit of £1.508bn, down 14 per cent at constant currency. It expects adjusted operating profit and earnings per share in 2027 to be below 2026, mainly because of losses in its Sugar business. The demerger of Primark from ABF is expected to complete in December 2027.

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