I remember the first time I ever went into a Primark 16 years ago. The prices were low and the quality somehow even lower.
I tried a dress on, got the zip stuck on the paper-thin underlayer and had to rip it to get it off again in the changing room like Hulk Hogan. For a holiday, I bought a few bits and most of them didn’t return home with me, they’d fared so badly under rigorous testing like lying by a pool and reading books in silence.
Pulls, holes, loose stitching and cheap material; the clothes always felt temporary. If you wanted something good, and built to last, you’d have to go to Marks and Spencer.
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As the years have passed, that has stayed with me like some kind of universal truth. So when my editor asked me this week whether the two shops were comparable, I was confident in my ‘no’ – but it was a confidence that wouldn’t last. I went to both, to see.
Marks and Spencer
As I walked in to Marks and Spencer in the Bullring for the first time, an elderly lady walked past me in the opposite direction. “I’m not impressed…” she told her companion. I kept an open mind.
There’s a lovely kind of British-ness to M&S that I appreciate, but some corners of the new store were quiet and dull (definitely not the bakery…). Over in the kids section I admired a beautiful sparkly festive dress I was 25 years past fitting into.
The price tag told me it was £38. Who can afford to buy a Christmas dress for a 10-year-old for £38 knowing they’d grow out of it by next winter? Not many Brummies, it seemed, judging by the lack of people perusing the department.
The Christmas ornaments were sweet, though nothing particularly stood out to me as being must-haves. Pretty candles filled with dried fruit are a reasonable £12, the scent subtle.
Over in the jewellery section, a pair of bright pink statement recycled glass earrings were £16, the matching coloured bead necklace, £28. It felt a bit pricey for something that wouldn’t go with everything but nice to see that it’s a sustainable product.
In the shoe department, some cream ankle boots, not leather, are £79. A pretty pair of statement red heels are £55.
I’m not a particularly stylish person, so perhaps that’s why I didn’t find much that I’d actually buy. I made a beeline for Primark.
Primark
Bigger and with a million options to choose from, Primark is a shop that must be approached strategically. Especially the women’s clothing section.
Just like M&S, there was lots of sequined, spangly outfits, though at remarkably cheaper prices. That £38 kids dress? I found one that I liked better in the adult section of Primark for £18.
The quality of it seemed really good too; I couldn’t see any hanging off, loose threads or a flimsy, cheap material on which it was structured. Things are not as they used to be in this place, but the prices aren’t either, which makes sense.
I found a pair of cream ankle boots similar to the M&S ones that were £59 cheaper and the statement jewellery was significantly less expensive too. In the kids section, moms were pushing babies in buggies and kids were choosing jumpers and pretty dresses that cost a fraction of that in M&S.
In the home department, there are tons of cool Christmas decorations including Disney options for a couple of quid and the home section has some really sweet little trinkets that are, in all but price, indistinguishable from that in more expensive retailers.
The verdict
There’s a lot to consider when comparing M&S and Primark, but it’s a complex issue. One of the biggest considerations for me is the ethics of buying cheap clothes.
Sure, you can get cool outfits for less money, but trendy garms at rock bottom prices does encourage people to go back, buy new stuff and throw their old stuff away. We can probably all agree that this fast fashion approach isn’t good for our planet.
Having loads of options, in loads of sizes, that are ‘in’ today and outdated tomorrow does make me worry that there’s a lot of wastage. But by upping the quality of their garments, it seems like Primark are, at least, making things that last a little longer than they used to.
While we all have a responsibility to care for our planet and make wise choices to protect it, I think about the average Brummie looking for a Christmas party dress for their babby. Knowing they’ll grow out of it by next season, does it make sense for their wallet to spend a chunk of the week’s food shop on something beautiful from M&S when they can get something similar at Primark for significantly less money? Why buy non-leather boots for £79 when you can get a similar look for £20 and use the rest towards your rising energy bills?
It’s hard to know what’s for the best, short of making your own clobber. But one thing I really do need to reassess is this assumption I’ve had that Marks and Spencer is simply ‘better’ than Primark – in so many ways, it’s simply not true in 2023.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
