A VIDEO has gone viral appearing to show a Primark store piled high with mounds of clothes – and former employees have claimed they faced some tough realities working there.
The clip shows a number of displays that have had pyjamas, jumpers and tops strewn on top in a messy state.
According to the video uploader, TikTok user @feel.good880, the footage was taken in France.
They wrote: “Can even think how hard it was for the people working in here.”
However, many Primark workers have been saying how they had a similar experience in their stores too.
One shared “That’s just awful. I used to work in Primark and it was the worse thing ever”, while another former employee said: “I’d spend whole shifts in primark refolding the same 3 tables.”
While one labelled the “disgraceful” scene a “jumble sale on speed”, another slammed: “Customers are just careless.”
A third commented: “I worked in Primark years ago and used to dread when the shop floor looked like that. Sometimes I’d hide in the toilet to avoid being the person who had to refold the clothes.”
A fourth added: “I work in Primark I can confirm this is how it gets, customers absolutely destroy things.”
Many people said they would have “cried” or “quit” if they were faced with a scene like this.
Some people defended shoppers, with one saying: “Primark’s fault.
“They decide to merchandise like this – pile it high on the shop floor to get max sales per metre squared.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”First look inside Primark’s Simpsons-themed cafe selling Homer’s iconic pink donut, bacon waffles and loaded toasties” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6366780118112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“Cheaper to get us to sort it folded. And shop staff to rearrange.”
Primark has been contacted for comment.
[authenticated-scripts src=”%3Cscript%20class%3D%22palin-poll%22%20src%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesun.co.uk%2Fpollingwidgets%2Fv3%2Fwidget.js%3Fquestion_id%3D102343%26game%3Dpolling%22%3E%3C%2Fscript%3E” type=”embedded” width=”100″ /]This follows former employee Victoria Chic taking to TikTok saying that she used to find the mess frustrating.
In the clip, the influencer vented: “Let me tell you one thing that really really bugs me at Primark.
“I used to be there for hours folding t-shirts, trousers, shorts and those little pants.
“And then someone would come along, get some, shake them out and just throw them down”.
Primark secrets
George, who worked in the Primark store in Derby’s Cornmarket, also lifted the lid on the retailer to the Derby Telegraph.
He revealed that staff in his store often have no clue where products are in the stockroom when customers ask them for different sizes.
The ex-employee revealed that in the six months he worked there, he found one item successfully, and said it was “actually quite a proud day”.
If shoppers find a slight problem or mark with an item, staff will knock 10 per cent off the price without a debate.
But angry customers risk ending up in the “Book of Faces” which is a thick folder full of CCTV close-up shots of customers who have stolen from the shop or acted badly.
And have you heard the voice that calls you to the next available till worker when you are waiting in the queue?
According to George there are two buttons under each counter, so staff can select either a male or female voice for the announcement.
Of the two, the worker revealed that the male one was “louder and more effective”.
Understandably, the tills were not for the faint-hearted, as normal queues had around 20 customers or more.
And working on the shop floor was no easier, with the most resilient staff being placed on the ground floor, and “softer staff” assigned a role in customer service, childrenswear or homewear.
He confessed of the ground floor: “Sometimes that level is like the Wild West and you have to be tough to stick it out – an angry alcoholic wandering in off the street would not be surprising.”
One of the biggest challenges he faced while working on the floor was not the angry drunks who wandered off the street though, but “snotty little kids”.
Folding woes
George revealed he would spend hours folding garments, only to have the whole thing destroyed as soon as he turned his back.
However, he did admit that mindlessly folding clothes and not talking to anyone was very therapeutic.
He also said that staff were given a ten-minute training session on how to correctly fold before they are let loose on the shelves.
Despite any drawbacks, George named the staff as among the best he has ever worked with and confessed overtime is fairly rewarded.
He said: “If you’re looking for a job, and you can stomach everything here, Primark’s a good bet.”
We contacted Primark but they have declined to comment on George’s experiences.