Irish clothing retailer Primark unveiled the next steps in its expansion strategy at a press conference on Wednesday. Accordingly, three new branches will be opened in France this year.
The company, which belongs to the conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF), has been present in France since 2013. It currently operates 30 branches there and employs almost 7,000 people. This regional expansion dynamic will continue in 2026 with the opening of three new locations.
Each new location opens in a shopping center. These are the shopping centers Central Parc (Grand Epagny) near Annecy, Aushopping Pôle Europe (Mont-Saint-Martin) in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department and Polygone in Béziers. In its statement, the company stated that it will invest around 30 million euros in these openings. This creates an additional sales area of 6,650 square meters.
Christine Loizy, managing director of Primark France, explained the plans in a statement: “For 13 years, Primark in France has built a strong relationship with its customers. This is based on a simple promise: to make fashion accessible to everyone, without compromising on quality.” The goal now is “to continue this development while strengthening our commitment to sustainability, inclusion and a positive impact in the regions in which we operate,” said Loizy.
Partnership and expansion in the Middle East
Although the Middle East is currently affected by wars and conflicts, Primark management wants to develop new growth markets in this region. The company confirmed its partnership with Alshaya Group to launch the brand in the Middle East. This project will be implemented in 2026 with the opening of three branches in Dubai. The locations are Dubai Mall, Mirdif City Center and Mall of Emirates.
In 2025, Primark’s business in mainland Europe was weak. Like-for-like sales fell by 5.7 percent. According to the company, these losses were mainly due to lower consumer confidence. In addition, successful initiatives to improve performance in the UK have only recently been rolled out to European markets, the retailer said.
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