Primark invests €40m in Portugal expansion plans

UK-based high street retailer Primark, which first opened its doors in Portugal 15 years ago, has set its sights on expanding further across the country with a €40 million investment.

The investment includes four new stores over next few years and extension of its Colombo store in Lisbon, which will open this Friday on 21 June. Stores will open in Allegro Shopping Centre (Montijo), Centro Comercial Espaço (Guimaraes), Palácio Do Gelo Shopping (Viseu) and Covilha City Center Retail Park (Covilhã). These new stores will create over 500 retail jobs, boosting the Portuguese job market.

Since its first store in the UBBO Shopping Centre in Amadora in May 2009, Primark has expanded to 10 stores across the country from Braga to Loulé. Once this expansion is complete, the retailer will have 14 stores across the country.

Nelson Ribeiro, Head of Sales at Primark Portugal, commented: "Primark is continuing to spread in Portugal. Since opening our first store 15 years ago, we have built and grown such a strong business here with a huge base of loyal Primark customers. It makes us so proud how they have welcomed and returned to us again and again as we have grown over the years.

"Primark is a retailer built entirely around our stores, so we know that a big part of our success is our committed retail colleagues who have supported us every step of the way and have been our best ambassadors in helping Portugal fall in love with Primark. We are excited to keep growing, investing in more stores, creating even more jobs, and introducing even more Portuguese shoppers to our incredible style and value.”

Each of the four new stores will offer "a wide choice of fashion, beauty, and homeware products at great prices". The new stores will also be the first in Portugal to feature self-service checkouts alongside typical cashier checkouts as well, giving customers more choice and convenience when visiting.

The investment in Portugal is part of the retailer’s ambitious growth plans to expand across "new and existing markets". Its aim?  To reach 530 stores by 2026. Last month, Primark entered its 17th market, opening its first store in Budapest, Hungary.