The value fashion and homeware retailer, reveals that it has reduced carbon emissions across its value chain three years after announcing its 2030 sustainability objectives, by converting to renewable and low-carbon energy. Primark stated in its annual ‘Sustainability and Ethics Progress Report’ that its decarbonisation strategy is beginning to decouple from its growth, with a 1.9 percent reduction in carbon emissions across its value chain since 2019, and an 11.6 percent fall since the previous year.
The retailer calls the reduction of its carbon emissions throughout its value chain over the past 12 months “a key achievement.” Primark’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions decreased by 21% in 2024 compared to 2023 and by 52% below the baseline for 2019.
Two-thirds (66 percent) of the clothing sold at Primark in the last 12 months was manufactured from recycled or more sustainably sourced materials, up from 55 percent in 2023, indicating that the retailer has made progress in providing clothing that lessens its impact on the environment. By 2030, the store wants 100% of its clothing to be manufactured from recycled or more sustainably sourced materials.
“We want our clothes to last -that’s why we’re serious about durability. This year we launched our durability framework, a set of criteria each product is tested against so that it can stand up to daily wear and tear. We’ve also hosted in-store repair workshops for over 2,000 customers, sharing easy tips to extend the life of their favourite pieces. Affordable doesn’t have to mean short-lived—it’s about rethinking fashion for the long haul.”said Primark addressing their sustainable choices.
Through their textile donation program, Primark also established a collaboration with the environmental organization WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to investigate ways to improve the management of textile waste and extend the lifespan of clothing. Additionally, it has expanded its circular design training to include “expert” level instruction and blueprint design for particular categories thanks to a collaboration with the Circular Textiles Foundation. Out of all the qualified colleagues, 529 have so far finished the foundational training.
Addressing the climate change, Lynne Walker, director of Primark Cares, said in a statement “We all know we need to adapt to address climate change – the fashion industry must evolve to be fit for the future. Our stakeholders are also demanding change – environmental and social issues are becoming more important to our customers, investors, legislators and civil society. For us, becoming more sustainable isn’t a choice – it’s vital that we change the way we operate to reduce our impact on the planet and support the livelihoods of people who make our clothes. The complexity and global scale of the challenges we face mean we can’t succeed alone. As an industry, we have the chance to take bold steps to tackle these challenges. We want to be more than a part of the change – we want to push ourselves to be at the forefront of the leaders driving our industry forward.”
