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Primark has announced it will be moving its product operations from Reading to Dublin with 220 staff being told they can either agree to relocate or risk redundancy.
The buying, sourcing, quality control, design and merchandising operations departments are currently split between the two cities but the retailer wants to amalgamate operations. The move is expected to take place in September. Reading office will remain open and the 270 staff in other departments will be unaffected.
The chief executive, Paul Marchant, said: “Currently, our product operations are separated across two locations, Dublin and Reading. From September 2019, we will be amalgamating all our buying, merchandising, design, quality and sourcing operations to be based at our headquarters in Dublin.
“This change will ensure our business strategy and our expansion into new international markets is fully supported.”
The group’s director of people and culture, Lorraine Culligan, added: “It is important that the scale of our business and the needs of our customers are reflected in our internal structures as Primark continues to grow. All of our people who are in any affected roles will have the opportunity to work in Dublin. Our colleagues will be fully supported during this period of change.
“Primark’s office in Reading continues to play a vital role in our business and many of our teams across a number of core functions will continue to be based there.”
