To Primark or not to Primark

larmy16

I am sure some people unknowingly pay more for Primark stuff in charity shops than it originally cost.

sassyblue

I shop there, in fact l've emailed them and asked them to open a store in Peterborough which would be so much closer than where l have to travel (not that l make a special journey, petrol costs being what they are).

I buy what l like although l make sure it'll wash well and will last, money is too hard earned to throw it away, so if it means spending more money but in another shop that's fine, as l say my main mantra is that whatever l buy will LAST.

There are too many arguments about child labour, of course l'm against it! but if it means the kids will go into prostitution otherwise then that's a no no.

dickydonkin

davetrousers wrote: »

Primark is a big shop where people go to throw clothes on the floor!

I don't shop there.

Brilliant davetrousers - but how do you know that?

Joking aside, I have to agree - we are well 'Primarked' here in the North East with 2 massive shops in Gateshead and Newcastle.

I have been in ONCE :eek: and that was enough for me.

I think I can see why some people are attracted, but it gave me an insight to what hell must be like. It was madness - like a sharks feeding frenzy!

As davetrousers alluded to, there were clothes all over the floor and masses of people of all shapes and sizes attacking the displays with gusto - akin to a convocation of eagles picking the flesh off a dead sheep or a ravenous swarm of locusts devouring everything in their path.

I managed to escape - albeit bruised and battered - but survived to tell the tale. Never again!

The 'stack 'em high and sell 'em cheap' concept seems to be the Primark policy and love them or hate them, it seems their business model works.

davetrousers

dpassmore wrote: »

Brilliant davetrousers - but how do you know that?

I foolishly ventured into one once, in more naive days!

Wine_of_the_World

I dont shop in Primark - I agree its total madness - clothes on the floor etc, I just couldnt hack it!

But, logically, if you avoided Primark because of how their clothes are made where would you shop? I mean so many things are made in China. And I do agree that the working standards in China are very different to what we would accept in the UK it doent mean Chinese goods should be avioded altogether.

I went backpaking in China and saw so many migrants heading into the cities in search of a job - poverty and working conditions are far worse in the countryside than in a factory making clothes (from what I heard, and documentries I have seen since).

I watched a doco recently where a girl was able to send the same amount home to her parents a month as they would earn in a year - enough to help her younger sister though university. This would never have hapended without factories supplying us in the West.

I'm not an expert at all in all this, but from what I have understood then the money earned by people working in these factories is very much needed by those who earn it. I guess in time as education and living conditions improve then wages etc will go up.

triticale

flippin36 wrote: »

As far as ethical shopping is concerned I would love to know which shop would be recommended. I was always under the impression that M&S was ethical until they started their own fairtrade range of clothing which begged the question - where does their other clothes come from

M&S used to have a lot of British made clothes - 10+ years ago I worked in a trouser factory supplying M&S. The quality was very high, strict QC etc. Then they dumped us for asian suppliers, guess they realised how much profit they were missing out on paying us British workers £3/ph instead of 30p/ph* overseas...



*Made-up figure, but I'm probably not far off.

durham_girl

dpassmore wrote: »

we are well 'Primarked' here in the North East with 2 massive shops in Gateshead and Newcastle.

No, we NEED a Primark in Durham!! It's too much of a trek to go the Metro Centre when I need a quick fashion fix!

shellsuit

baby_fuzz wrote: »

I have shopped at primark, but I always have a pang of guilt when I walk out the door...

Why?


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My daughter loves Primark. With the younger fashions changing every 10 minutes, it makes sense for her to shop there. No point in paying £20 for a top that she might wear 5 times because the fashion has gone, when you can buy one for £5 and it will last equally as long.

Their PJ's, socks and boxers are great and wash well.

I've bought a few bits for the baby, such as PJ's, cargo pants and a couple of jumpers, and to be honest, they are just as nice and well made as the likes of Next, where I would end up paying double or more. (Next is my guilty pleasure for baby stuff though )

I HATE going into Primark when it is rammed, so I'll only go first thing in the morning, or after 3pm when the school rush starts.

My daughter drags me into the one in Liverpool. It is HUGE and I can feel my temp rising when you have to battle through the crowds, so I normally stand by each escalator on each floor and wait for her.

I don't feel guilty buying from there, why should I? I don't know where any other clothing is made ~ I just see a price I'm happy to pay.

Enterprise_1701C

larmy16 wrote: »

I am sure some people unknowingly pay more for Primark stuff in charity shops than it originally cost.

I KNOW they do - had a friend picked up a nice top in a charity shop that had it's label removed and was absolutely delighted, I can't remember the details but I do know I had seen it cheaper in Primark that day and just didn't dare tell her! I think someone had gone to Primark and bought something to donate, it was a current product at that time!

Miss_Ratty

Read No Logo and then make your mind up...it seems that a lot of people who shop in any place which may have bad practices either don't know what goes on, pretend that it doesn't, have been made to believe that one person doesn't make a difference or or that "these people" would be worse off if they didn't support the trade that enslaves them. Most aren't given food or shelter (unless you count sleeping under your sewing station as a home). Its only a small step away from slavery. Controversial view perhaps, but there's more than enough information out there for people to find out for themselves. Boycotting labour practices does not automatically mean that you are spending more money, just spending wisely and in a more informed way.