Irish clothing discounter Primark has announced plans to expand into three more markets in the Middle East. Five stores are set to open this year alone in partnership with retail franchise operator Alshaya Group.
Primark is expanding in the United Arab Emirates and will open three stores in Dubai in the first half of 2026. The first branch is scheduled to open on March 26 at Dubai Mall. The second branch in City Center Mirdif is planned for April. The third location at Mall of the Emirates will open in May.
In addition to these three openings, Primark will open two more stores by the end of the year. These are located in the Bahrain City Center and the Doha Festival City in Qatar. Both countries are new markets for the retailer.
“We are pleased to announce the expansion of our franchise partnership with Alshaya Group, with five stores scheduled to open in the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar in 2026, starting with Dubai Mall in March,” Eoin Tonge, interim chief executive officer (CEO) of Primark, said in a statement. “Today is an exciting moment for us and our growth ambitions as we advance our plans to reach 21 countries.”
The expansion follows the opening of the first store in the region in October 2025. The store at The Avenues in Kuwait was Primark’s first franchise store. It attracted thousands of customers on its opening weekend. Primark aims to replicate this success across the Middle East and be present in 21 international markets.
“We are incredibly proud to be working with Primark to bring this highly anticipated brand to shoppers across the region. We look forward to opening five stores in three countries this year,” said John Hadden, CEO of Alshaya Group. “This is just the start of our work with Primark to grow the brand after such a fantastic first opening in Kuwait. Next stop: Dubai in March!”
Primark currently operates over 475 stores in 18 countries across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the US. The 55-year-old retailer continues to expand in these markets. After celebrating its 10th anniversary in the U.S. last year, the company plans to open its first flagship store in Manhattan this spring.
This article was created using digital tools translated.
FashionUnited uses artificial intelligence to speed up the translation of articles and improve the end result. They help us to make FashionUnited’s international reporting quickly and comprehensively accessible to a German-speaking readership. Articles translated using AI-based tools are proofread and carefully edited by our editors before they are published. If you have any questions or comments, please email [email protected]
