Primark brings back women-only changing rooms following backlash

// Primark is reintroducing women-only fitting rooms after concerns were raised about unisex changing rooms
// The retailer has said curtains in cubicles will be lengthened and new mechanisms added to keep them in place

Primark will be bringing back women-only fitting rooms in its UK stores after a number of female customers reported unsettling experiences in its combined changing spaces.

Last month a woman complained of two men walking in on her while she was changing. In a TikTok video posted by Charlotte Kirby, she said that two different men pulled back the curtain in separate incidents while she was trying on clothes at the Cambridge store.

In response, Primark said: “We want our stores to be places where everyone feels safe and welcome. We’re sorry to hear this hasn’t been the experience some people have reported in our fitting rooms.”

The retailer moved to axe its separate changing areas for men and women back in 2019.


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As a response, Primark said in a release: “We’ve listened to feedback from our customers and colleagues and you’ll start to see changes in our UK stores in the coming weeks.”

The retailer will be offering a dedicated fitting room area for women alongside its combined area which everyone can use.

A total of 187 of its 191 stores in the UK will have a female-only dedicated area, with it noting that it is exploring options for the other four locations.

It also said it will be making the cubicles more secure with longer curtains and a mechanism to hold it in place, as well as a refresh in colleague training on how to manage the fitting rooms.

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