Sales director, Nelson Ribeiro, assures ECO, however, that this new development did not lead to a reduction in jobs — 70 jobs were created with this new store — and explains that technology has even made it possible to reallocate workers to other “essential tasks”.

“The introduction of self-checkout technology has not led to a reduction in our staff. Our colleagues continue to be essential in assisting customers and ensuring a smooth self-checkout experience. This technology allows us to reallocate colleagues’ time to other essential tasks within the store”, highlights the head of sales at Primark Portugal, in a report by ECO.

Nelson Ribeiro adds that in the other ten stores that Primark has in Portugal, technology has not led to job cuts. Previously, it has freed up the team, allowing them to dedicate themselves to the customer's in-store experience. “Our team continues to be crucial to the success of our stores,” highlights the manager.

Several studies have shown that technology will not eliminate human employment, but will create new functions, warning that it will be necessary to retrain workers. Asked about these training needs, the head of sales at Primark Portugal assures ECO that several internal training programs have been made available, “adapted to all levels of the team, which include personalised training for retail employees and coaching for leadership roles “.

“Every year, we evaluate the development needs of our teams and offer relevant training opportunities,” highlights Nelson Ribeiro. And he details that, in preparation for the opening of the new store in Montijo, for example, more than 2,300 hours of training were given.

More stores

In June, with ten stores in Portugal, Primark announced an expansion plan in the national market. At stake is an investment of 40 million euros for the opening of four new stores and the creation of 500 new jobs.

The opening of the new Montijo store began this plan, and now establishments are scheduled to open in Guimarães, Viseu and Covilhã.

Therefore, Primark will recruit again, with the aim of reaching 2,200 total workers in Portugal (at the moment, it has around 1,700). “We will be actively recruiting for positions in various profiles to meet the needs of our new stores,” says Nelson Ribeiro.

The executive states that Primark seeks to “attract diverse talent for all the roles we offer” and “candidates who share the values ​​and are fans of the brand”. “For us, it doesn’t matter if it’s your first job, if you’re returning to the job market after a few years, or if you already have experience”, points out Nelson Ribeiro. The head of sales also says Primark assesses candidates' skills and experience, but also their ability to work in a team and their customer orientation.

Asked about the wages that are offered to workers and how they compare to national benchmarks, the official emphasizes that they are “consistently higher than the national minimum wage” (currently at 820 euros gross) and that compensation packages are reviewed regularly to ensure they are “fair and reflect current economic conditions”.

“While salaries can vary depending on role and location, we make sure our employees are compensated fairly, especially taking into account inflation and cost of living pressures”.

Today, Primark Portugal has many young workers “eager to grow”, and some are having their first experience in the job market. But they also have more experienced workers, who “seek to progress in their careers in a vibrant environment”, informs the same person in charge.