It is your time to request for#PrimarkPayUp. As shops start to open now, consider joining XR Youth with Remake to request that Primark pay up during the COVID-19. Primark is an international fashion retail brand, headquartered in Ireland. It is known for its wide variety of clothing, fast turnover, and low prices. It has 191 UK locations, and 373 across 12 countries worldwide.

This campaign seeks to disrupt the reopening of Primark stores. The reason is to demand justice for workers that have made our clothing in conjunction with Remake’s #PayUp campaign. The #PayUp petition has so far improved Primarks original position when they canceled orders across the board without any promise of payment. On April 20, Primark made the announcement that they would pay $460 million in apparel orders they had previously canceled, but they have NOT honored their obligation in full. In addition, this figure does not disclose the percentage of total unpaid commitments. The additional orders left unpaid are estimated to be worth hundreds of millions.

Primark has accumulated huge amounts of stock since the COVID shutdowns and it’s estimated that they have over $1bn worth of clothing they were unable to sell. This is clothing has been produced by its supplier factories who have covered upfront costs such as wage labor and and material costs. However, payment from Primark for the goods produced has been unpaid. This is bad business practice. Brands have gone as far as justifying their actions by claiming force majeure. However, the pandemic, a global health crisis, is not part of the contract that allows for cancellations. Unfortunately for the suppliers, they cannot afford to sue the brands because they already run on on low profit margins. Since brands hold all the power, they could easily claim that they were following responsible exit policies if the factories sued. This means, in theory, the brand could pull orders without no notice and without regard to established contracts. Bear in mind that brands being socially responsible is something they do voluntarily and cannot be enforced externally. In the case of the pandemic, the well- being of garment workers in factories that have been in long-standing partnerships with brands has gone disregarded in the name of profit.

The affect of Primark not paying for its orders has meant large- scale financial damage for suppliers and the workers that were let go. For the orders Primark did agree to pay, the payments will be delayed until Autumn 2020. This means factories and garment workers will struggle to survive for months. This is in the name of Primark prioritizing its own cash flow and its wealthy, corporate parent, Associated British Foods. In 2019, Primark earned £913 million in profit, therefore, there is no questioning whether Primark can #PayUp. So, what’s the cause for delay? The suppliers fulfilled their production demands - the dresses and t-shirts were made . Yet, Primark is refusing to accept the orders and pay what’s due, instead promising a Primark relief fund in exchange for what is owed to these makers. It’s time #PrimarkPayUp in full.

In other words, Primark has the money to pay for the fulfilled order but are not doing so out of the interest of their own business greed.

Supplier factories and the governments of developing countries are thus taking the hit. They are struggling in providing aid for the garment workers. Unfortunately, this is not financially viable and healthy on a long-term scale; this has caused Primark supplier factories to close and terminate workers on a large scale with no wage payment. Primark therefore MUST FULFILL THEIR business orders. They CAN afford to pay their workers and should not leave it up to others to pay for what they owe.

If you decided to participate, our three demand are the following:

#PayUp for 100% of orders - Primark have agreed to make some, but not all payments to suppliers. They won’t say how many orders will be paid for.
No renegotiation on old contract terms - Primark are attempting to renegotiate old contracts, because they know that suppliers are more vulnerable now. They can pay suppliers less, because other brands aren’t ordering clothes and the suppliers need the money. This is wrong, and an exploitation of the power dynamic between Primark and the suppliers.
Time is of the essence, retail and garment workers need our support now. Primark have agreed to pay some of their suppliers - but only in Autumn. Garment workers need wages now - they don’t have savings and if they are forced to work during this pandemic it will kill thousands. Primark needs to honour their payments immediately, with no delay. Work completed in March still hasn’t been paid for, and garment workers are suffering.

How To Make Primark Pay Up

INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, & FACEBOOK

Leave comments on posts on the Primark social media, in full view of members of the public who are not aware of what Primark has been doing. This will pressure Primark, bad PR hurts their image and their profits. Make sure to follow XR Youth and Remake for the latest updates at @xryouth and @remake.world

TAG @PRIMARK - Share the petition or our campaign images on your social media tagging @Primark, using the hashtags: #PrimarkPayUp + #PayUp. The more tags they receive, the harder it will be for them to ignore the youth.

COMMENT & REPLY

On Primark’s social media accounts, feel free to leave comments and replies, asking why they aren’t taking immediate action to #PayUp in full and in a timely manner to ensure their suppliers and garment workers aren’t left without enough money for food and rent during the pandemic. Primark often uses these hashtags with its followers: #Primark #Primania #PrimarkHome #PrimarkBeauty

@Primark on Instagram and Facebook

Comment on not only their most recent posts, but also any other more recent posts. Let others know on the action channels that you’ve done so, and like each other's comments so the algorithm promotes them. Also post on your own instagram stories - we will provide images, gifs and hashtags for you to use.

@Primark on Twitter

Tweet using the hashtags, and let the world know what Primark is doing. Brands care about twitter more than other social media platforms, so this is especially powerful. Also comment on their most recent tweets - employees always read through these and if anything is flagged up multiple times it will definitely get fed up to management.

SIGN THE #PAYUP PETITION

The petition started by Remake calls on Primark (as well as other fast-fashion brands) to pay for all cancelled or paused orders in full and in a timely manner. With over 50,000 signatures, the more people that sign, the stronger the message we can send. bit.ly/xrypayup Climate justice is social justice, which is why we’re demanding that #PrimarkPayUp.

STAY INFORMED

Primark Relief Fund - https://remake.world/stories/news/primarks-charity-fund-wont-save-garment-workers/

Impacts of COVID-19 on Garment Makers - https://remake.world/stories/news/the-global-impact-of-delayed-payments-and-factory-closures-for-garment-makers/

The Global Impact of Delayed Payments and Factory Closures for Garment Makers: link

Why You Should Join XR Youth and Remake's #PrimarkPayUp Campaign

If you decided to participate, our three demand are the following:

How To Make Primark Pay Up