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FASHION FORWARD
First look inside Primark with fewer tills, no testers and new contactless returns
WHEN Primark opens its doors again in England on Monday shoppers can expect to find fewer tills, lift queues and a new contactless returns process.
The Sun had an exclusive first look inside its Westfield White City store in London as it prepares to reopen 153 branches with new Covid-secure measures.
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It still looks like the Primark we love and know. Unlike supermarkets, shoppers won’t have to follow a one-way system as they can roam free once inside.
But there are subtle changes which help make customers and staff safer, including hand sanitiser stations and signs and floor stickers reminding people to keep a 2m distance.
Customers will be asked to sanitise their hands before they enter.
Clothing stores are allowed to reopen from Monday as the government has confirmed it's lifting lockdown measures on non-essential retailers - see the full list of stores allowed to reopen here.
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Most retailers closed on March 23, although they have been allowed to continue trading online - however Primark doesn't provide an online shopping option.
Shops are only allowed to welcome shoppers back if they follow strict safety measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
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Primark, for example, has created bigger till areas and will only be using every other till.
It has installed perspex screens and there will be a member of staff acting as a “queue marshall”.
The retailer has also increased its contactless limit to £45 - but you can still pay in cash if you want to.
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When it comes to returning clothes it has a new contacless returns process.
Customers will bring their items up to the till and show it to the member of staff who remains behind the till and screen.
The customer will then hang the item on a rail at the checkout and Primark will hold the stock for 72 hours before it can be returned to the shop floor.
The checkout staff can then process the refund as usual.
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The changing rooms are closed and you won’t be allowed to try clothes on.
Unlike other retailers Primark hasn’t extended its clothing policy as it remains at 28 days.
There will be a maximum limit of two people per lift and increased cleaning at places where people touch more often, such as the escalator and lift buttons.
Each basket will be sanitised by a member of staff between every use.
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In the beauty and make-up section you won’t find any testers.
Like other shops there will be a limit on the number of customers allowed in. These will vary between stores.
Although, there will be no limits on who you can shop with so you can go with the whole family if you want.
The shop is keen to get back in business as the lockdown has caused a loss of around £640million worth of sales a month.
But it won’t be discounting like many other shops who want to get rid of stock, instead it’s keeping clothes for next year.
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It’s going to be like the same old Primark - as long as you’re willing to brave the queues.
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