Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Primark Eoin Tonge said stores in the UAE are among the top 10 strongest performers worldwide, with sales exceeding initial expectations.
In an exclusive interview with DubaiEye 103.8 FM's Business Breakfast show, Tonge said operations in the region have performed very well despite the conflict breaking out a month before its Dubai store opening:
He added that Dubai projections performed better than initial expectations, given the developments:
As one of the top 10 performers, Dubai ranks next to Primark stores in Madrid's Gran Via and London's Oxford Street, Tonge said.
Tonge noted that although Primark faced supply chain difficulties during its first months of operation amid the conflict, it has adapted and moved forward to "make sure" the product is on the shelf at its stores.
Speaking on shopping trends in the UAE, Tonge said trends aren't much different from those in its other regions, with strong purchases of nightwear and kidswear.
He added that localisation of its collections in the UAE and the Gulf region as a whole is possible in the longer run alongside its regional partner Alshaya:
Moving forward with Alshaya, Tonge said Primark will open its doors in Saudi Arabia on March 27, alongside a second store in Qatar and in Bahrain.
It also plans to expand with other partners worldwide following its work with Alshaya, with plans to branch out to Mexico:
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