Staff brand customers fat, pikey t**ts

Hey guys,

doesn't anybody see the base of this "abuse" at shops such as Primark????
First of all - it is the SPOILT general public doing their shopping there! Clear! I shop in East European, Asian and African stores and believe me there is no such thing as dropping garments on the floor or leaving shelves messy!!!!
And second - it is cultural differences as well. All those staff mentioned are experiencing same frustration (as the clients) due to different backgrounds.
At the end of the day - YOU create your self-confidence and job satisfaction; no one else is responsible for it!

By ElVi. Posted October 14 2009 at 12:12 PM.

I slipped on some fruit in Primark , sprained my ankle, hurt my arm and hand. After having the firstaiders round me, I asked if they could call a cab so I could get home as I couldn't put my foot down. When I got home I had to pay the cab £!6, they hadn't even paid it, and when I complained to their head office the staff were equally unconcerned and tried to thob me off.

I should have taken them to Court for damages but I'm not the sort of person to do that. It's obvious Primark staff have little resepect for their customers.

By Maria Ibbs. Posted September 29 2009 at 9:31 AM.

Maybe the staff should look at themselves the ones who said that and thank god they are not on the dole queue!! All my time in Primark I have never seen a lumby well spoken princess who knows YSL D&G or Prada. Sack the staff who think that WE PAYING PEOPLE KEEP THEM IN THEIR JOBS!!!!

By Liss. Posted September 27 2009 at 3:17 PM.

I've read eveyones points here,and i agree with sales assistants frustration. Its all a lack of respect for anything, we have so much in an abundance, people don't care. Its all so dispensible, no one appreciates anything anymore. No one cares about chucking a 98 pence top, or a pair of jeans for 3 quid on the floor.
,I don't really go in for this wear it once,chuck it out Its all become crazyness. I've been through primark's racks,and it is a mash up of clothes,shoes,sandals,bras etc etc,i don't know how sales assistant get it all tidy.

By angel. Posted September 3 2009 at 11:08 PM.

ok the staff shouldn't have said what they did in view of the public but believe me its not easy being a shop assistant i have actually had a guy attack a pregnant co worker for catching him shop lifting !! so we don't know which customers their talking about and its only a few members of staff so we cant really complain, although i do agree that primark's sizes are bloody tiny

By sophie. Posted August 2 2009 at 10:51 PM.

I'm a plus size (much too big for primark, unfortunately!) but I shop there for my family. I find their clothes reasonable in both price and quality, and I have noticed a definite improvement in the look of the stores over the years.
I have worked in retail, not because I had to, but because I love it, and when I go back to work once my (reasonably well mannered, reasonably well bought up) children start school, I hope to work in retail again.
These staff are not alone in feeling frustrated with a small number of customers, and it is human nature to always remember the bad ones!
Unfortunately, there will always be difficult customers, and there will always be unhelpful staff, this is certainly not exclusive to Primark!
I think these staff would now agree that they were unwise to chose this method to express themselves, but out side of work time, their opinions are their own.
I may be fat (let's face it, I know I'm fat, and I know what I SHOULD be doing about it!) but I am never rude to shop assistants, and my size has no bearing on my character, rudeness is rudeness whatever your size!
The bigest problem is that people have lost respect for each other. We have had it so drummed into us to "look after number 1" that we forget that other people, on both sides of the counter, have feelings to.
To the staff, congratulations on finding work, appreciate the privilege. To the customers, well done for being savvy shoppers, treat the staff with the respect they deserve!

By Rachel. Posted July 19 2009 at 12:27 AM.

the people who shop at primark are animals who think because it's cheap they can behave as they please, rude to staff and each other, drop garments where ever they like, i bought two white t-shirts in there, but felt uneasy as i know what i don't pay in cash, some other person is paying in blood, sweat and tears, not sure if i will shop there again!!

By andy saddler. Posted July 18 2009 at 8:10 PM.

I work at primark now as a supervisor, I will say the staff are overworked and yes they do get treated like 'rubbish half the time' it's the managments fault.

However its not a crap wage, its a stressful enviroment and has become popular for low prices. The customers odnt crae if you ahve folded the items they want to buy and they will throw things on the floor. we are used to it, but the customers (Not all) could be nicer and not throw tantrums and be bitchy and swear and be aggressive towards staff. but tis not the customers its the staff withih that make the staff swear and get angry behind closed doors.

By Unknown. Posted July 14 2009 at 7:21 PM.

just read some1s comment about children in a supermarket, about children being left to run wild. I work in a pub and we have had to ban partys with children because the parents do not give a dam!!! they bring the children in and leave them 2 runriot with darts, pool balls, pool cues etc!!! The worst I saw was a mum and dad leave their child in the pram outside the pub, on a busy road, for a good 5 min!!!
on regards to primark I really do like the shop but it is a mess sometimes espec on a Sat, but we cant really expect the staff to be picking clothes up all the time when u no ul get some idiot who will purposly go and knock them on the floor right infront of the staff on purpose!!!
Random comments i know but oh well x

By louise. Posted July 10 2009 at 3:32 PM.

few years ago i worked in primark while just starting college and the cheek of some people that come into the shop is unreal i had a 14 year old girl waveing a scissors in my face demanding i give her clothes for free or else she wud "chop my bollocks off" and the the security guard called the police and she started shouting that i was trying to undress her and kept shouting rape while being draged out the door that is the pikey scum that does come into the shop im not sayin everybody who shops there is there are lots of very nice and friendly people aswel but its the bad ones you remember

By domino. Posted July 10 2009 at 12:58 PM.

I used to work for primark as a manager at one of is flagship stores in south-east. In the days before primark became global. Unfortuantely the staff are overworked and treated badly. I am not surprised staff are sharing their experiences on facebook. Maybe the director and othe senior represenatives in the company should try a week on the shop floor and maybe they would have a better understanding of what it is really like for the shop floor staff who work very long hours for very poor pay. Recovery of the shop floor merchandise after a long day is exhausting to say the least, and the general public don't think twice about throwing clothes on the floor, because they are so cheap!!

By kim brown. Posted July 9 2009 at 6:48 PM.

I like primark i think it offers great value for money & fair play to the staff for putting up with certain customers. Last time i was in a primark store i saw 3 women blatently changing price tags over infront of me even though the goods are so cheap anyway no wonder the staff get fed up & have to vent their anger.

By Kathleen. Posted July 9 2009 at 3:54 PM.

Of course you have every right to say what you want on FB or anywhere else - just as the management has the right to sack you for being incredibly rude to the people who pay your wages - your customers. What on earth is the point of spending money marketing your company if you are going to put your company at risk by bagging your customers publicly. What is worse is that you have done this to your company in the middle of a recession when there is less money being spent - you can be sure that even less of this available money will be spent in Primark. Consequences and actions people.

By Nic. Posted July 8 2009 at 10:59 PM.

I have shopped at primark and found the staff love vely friendly although most of the things are tat, they do a good range of boyswear. People have forgotten good manners and how to respect people.

By smiler. Posted July 8 2009 at 10:25 PM.

I have never been rude to a clerk or cashiers while shopping but have witnessed it. If the checkout line is also being held up because of an ass treating the staff in a demeaning manner. I always speak up as they are leaving re their behavior in apology to the cashier who usually nods and smiles. Frequenly the next 2 or 3 people speak in agreement, I have never seen the person not appreciate shoppers can be aware of how difficult some consumers can be.

By cate. Posted July 8 2009 at 8:50 PM.

i work in a large retail company that sells designer goods and let me tell you the customers that come in there are just as rude.

They think because they are buyeing 300 pound jeans they can talk to you any way.

I agree because i work in a shop people think they can talk down to me. Shop people should unite we are all better then this !!!!

By star. Posted July 8 2009 at 1:39 PM.

Its not only the staff of Primark that are like that ,its everywhere.These are just an unlucky few exposed..Do you know what the staff of other shops say behind your back!!???...You will be bowled over if you found out.Thats how its always been, so dont be surprised!!!

By Peter . Posted July 8 2009 at 12:16 AM.

I work in Primark and i just want to remind people that this is a handful of silly staff talkin on facebook and they do NOT represent all staff. Ive worked in penneys 8 years and i know to well the stresses of the job but if i serve 100 customers in a day and just one of them picks something up or tells you that she/he appriciates that you climbed over boxes in the stock room to find him/her something that makes a difference to my day. As for people making comments about being able to discuss issus with managment in all fairness what can they do about "SOME" peoples attitudes...

By aa. Posted July 7 2009 at 7:40 PM.

If you have EVER once complained in private to a friend, about one of your co-workers, bosses, or people you serve, you have NO right to say that these workers are not allowed to do the same.

It is ridiculous that the workers are not allowed to have a private conversation online. What next, scouting the pubs to see if there are any unruly workers "discriminating" against their workers while off-duty?

Everyone should have a private place to talk where they are allowed to be uncensored in their views - they are not robots, and they would get stressed the same amount of you for taking the abuse that many shop assistants take everyday. If they aren't allowed to vent their frustration online, where ARE they allowed to?

By Eiden. Posted July 7 2009 at 11:37 AM.

Thank God we're in a recession and some of these businesses which emply rude staff will get the bankruptcy they deserve. Unemployment may be high but clearly it needs to be higher.

By sid balls. Posted July 7 2009 at 11:28 AM.

What is wrong with a woman being a curvy size 22 or 24. I am, plus I have a job and go to college and no my job isn't sitting on my arse at a desk, it's in a DIY store which I absolutely love. We do have horrible customers but the managers will not let any customer speak to us in a degrading way. The managers will have a go at the customers. Anyway primark is absolutely horrible, full of chavvy teenage mums with god knows how many kids. Plus, why do the staff moan, if they hated it so much then they would get the hell out of there.

By Charlotte. Posted July 6 2009 at 10:18 PM.

I just want to quickly get my point across, I see both sides, the customers should respect the staff and the staff should respect the customers. The staff should also be able to get their point across, but it is not the best way to do it via facebook as they have obviously been caught out! Instead why not share their concerns with management?

Also, just because a person shops in primark does not make them stupid or scruff etc! It is their choice. If I won the lottery, I can honestly say that I would still go to primark for a bargain. I don't see the point in shopping for designer clothes when you can get clothes for cheap that do their job nicely. In this economic state, most people can't afford to waste their money on expensive clothes and when there are people starving in this world I think spending huge amounts of money on clothes is selfish!

Having said this, people are entitled to their own opinions, just maybe keep these opinions to yourself instead of offending others!?

By Leah. Posted July 6 2009 at 6:55 PM.

Some people need to get off their high horses and be brought down a peg or two.

Everyone is entitled to a rant, maybe don't do it online thats not the best place.

I think everyone should be made work in some form of retail/customer service in their life just to see how it feels to be behind that counter.

My brother is currently working in McDonalds, he has been working there for 3 months and has made crew memeber of the month already because of all the hard work he puts in and how he treats the customers.

He is working there whilst still in school and will be going to university next year.

I worked in retail whilst at school also, people that work retail are not all uneducated slobs.

Sometimes you don't get the treatment you deserve when in a shop; this is probably because you don't treat the person serving you as a person, you only get what you give.

By helen. Posted July 6 2009 at 11:06 AM.

Chavs might shop at Primark - but so do hard working parents who need cheap clothes to send their children to nursery in (they get covered in food and paint every day). There are a lot of snobs out there who seem to think if you shop at Primark you are beneath them. I used to buy expensive clothes, then I grew up and had bills/morgage/food/children all of which cost huge amounts of money. Why would I buy expensive clothes for them to get covered in baby sick and food? God bless Primark and all who work there who do have to put up with a hell of a lot of grief from rude customers, most of whom are student trying to make a better future for themselves

By Helen Driffield. Posted July 6 2009 at 10:20 AM.

I can't blame them really! I dont even like going in there so i cant possibly imagine what it must be like to work there. I can't see what the problem is with them letting off a bit of steam, as long as they are not rude to the customers in person. Everyone who works within a customer service role has a little moan about someone now and again so i say let them carry on! most of the statements are true anyway!

By Amy. Posted July 6 2009 at 8:13 AM.

I work in Primark a few years back I also work in Marks and Spencer believe Primark was a much better company to work for and the pay was just as good

By linn. Posted July 6 2009 at 2:45 AM.

I used to work at McDonalds when I was 16 and in college, the amount of people who used to say blatantly in front of me that I must be stupid if Im working there, was shocking.
I went to uni and got a degree, due to the current climate I am working in a call centre. I have to answer calls from people who treat me worse than a dog. Barking at me down the phone. Swearing at me, calling me names.
And I have to take it. In my opinion people are not nice.
Then again I have been in shops where the staff do not care and can not be bothered to help.
Manners cost nothing. But this works both ways.

By mannersplease. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:53 PM.

I do shop in pennys(primark in ireland)whenever i go back to dublin and i dont feel offended by what the staff have said about customers. To be honest it wud get on my nerves aswell to tidy up those piles of clothes for someone to mess it up 5 seconds later on purpose. We should be allowed to say what we want on facebook specially after a crap day at work!!! will people stop gettin offended over EVERYTHING!!!

By cristina. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:31 PM.

While evryone is going on about the primark staff makeing bad comments ,just pause for a moment at read some of the comments people are makeing who haven't been in a primark store just because it is a lower priced shop than marks and spencers ect .I am proud to work in primark coventry ,i am 53 years old not a studend or 21 ,i treat customers the way i would like to be treated and yes i do get annoyed sometimes at the customers but that goes with the job ,i have been in a lot of the higher priced shops eg bhs ,next ,marks even debenhams and been served by staff who couldn't care less i am always polte to customers and i work on tills and shop floor ,but we get a lot of compliments as well from customers .

By ANG. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:33 PM.

Hey hey hold on a minute! There is no reason at all to be sooo rude to staff just coz you are a customer. I thought this is a developed country where everyone is supposed to be civilised? I always visit Primark and the customer service staff are actually very presentable and helpful, but i have noticed very unruly rulling the place to the point i have had to question myself where their parents were! I have seen customers who are super rude with terrible attitudes and even drunkereds. Wether we are customers or staff i presume we all have a sense of common responsibility to behave be it in Primark, streets or at our homes morally. Customers should behave themselves and treat others as they would want to be treated.

By Deon. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:12 PM.

I work in Primark, and you do have to have very very thick skin.
I take pride in my job, but it's very difficult to work in a play where customers seem to have little repect for the stock, the staff or even other customers. In other stores, if you knock things off shelves, or knock a load of neatly stacked tshirts over, you'd at least TRY to pick them upm however at Primark, customers just kind of look at staff, smirk and say ''Well, pick it up then'
Many times, customers have said to me 'Well, you must be stupid if you work at Primark' A vast majority of the staff are under 21 years old, and are students trying to make money in order to be able to NOT shop in Primark. If you are 35 years old and buying all your clothes at Primark, then you must be the stupid one.
I graft, and I try to be polite to customers, but all we ask is that we are treated with some kind of respect and understanding.

By anon. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:49 PM.

I am a college student working part time in primark, to all of those who have said all of that rubbish about the workers i think are idiots lol. Most of you can't even use commors. You're being very narrow minded and stereotypical! Just because we work in a cheap shop, which is very successful, does not mean we are any lower down than dearer shops! We probably work a lot harder, in the hot, busy, messiness. Most of us are just trying to earn some extra cash whilst still in full time education, with higher career prospects then most of yous..Thats my say :-)

By Worker. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:46 PM.

PRIMARK, please do something quick about your staff members, to save your business from collapse. It would be a great shame because you have a good business and the clothes are good too.

Drastic action is required !!!

By Edward. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:51 PM.

Its like a daily jumble sale ! A free for all as much as you can get in your basket. Give me M&S anyday.

By Jane Hurley. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:37 PM.

The people accusing Primark staff of being uneducated may want to enlist on a spelling course. Being a hypocrite is never attractive.

By Kim S. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:40 PM.

The staff have every right to be allowed to vent. Of course, Facebook isn't the wisest way to do it, as you stick your name to it, so no surprises where the Darwin award is going this year?!

To those people on their high horses who say it's a disgrace etc, can you honestly say they've never slagged off colleagues/departments/customers with over a pint in the pub or coffee in the canteen?

Some people in this country have a surprising lack of manners and courtesy, and just because someone works in a shop, it does not automatically mean you should be treated like a moron. It doesn't give you the licence either to leave the place like a pigsty, citing that "it's what they are paid to do", after all, whatever happened to common courtesy and treating others as you would like to be treated?

And all this banging on about how the "customer is always right" - what a load of rubbish.

The customer is not always right, especially if they've spent a good half hour ranting about how something isn't on a special offer, when it's clearly marked on the sign that it only applies to certain goods!

By Chris. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:33 PM.

These days, I belive a lot of people just lack common courtersy and manors. Whilst I'm sure there are some Primark customers that frustrate the staff, they've got to remember that if it wasn't for the customers, they wouldn't have a job and the annoying customers are merely part of the job. I have worked in retail in the past and I found that the easiest thing to do is to just laugh it off and to not allow yourself to become annoyed. I must admit though, I have never worked in such a hectic place such as Primark and I certainly sympathise with their staff.

Quite frankly, I think it's discusting that some people on here are claiming that all customers who shop in Primark are 'scummy' and 'chavs'. Yes, it's a low budget store, but that doesn't mean that everyone who shops there is 'spending their dole money'. A good majority of people I know regularly shop at Primark, who are all from a wide range of backgrounds, all with a different value of income. Who doesn't love a bargain? and why spend more when you don't have to, particularly when there is a recession going on. It's called being careful with your money.

To those who have commented on this saying they are no longer going to shop in Primark, this is silly. The employees who have branded customers 'fat, pikey t**ts are just a select few of the millions of people who work for Primark. I'm sure there are some lovely employees who work for Primark.

By Louise. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:25 PM.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you!

By Jack. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:03 PM.

omg why can't people have opions on facebook groups? at the end of the day no one knows who they are talking about and sometimes when your having a crap day why not vent your anger.
Bloody P.C uk again ffs get a grip

By Rebecca. Posted July 5 2009 at 8:01 PM.

Shocking!
Mind you I was in the Exeter store the other day and paid for goods that totalled £10.50. I gave the sales assistant a £20 note and then said "oh hang on a minute, I have a 50p here" He looked at me blankly and apologised, telling me he had already rung in through ...then proceeded to give me £9.50 in small change!
Idiot.
Maybe that explains the comments, Primark hire those that all other retailers knock back, those that are willing to spend their spare time setting themselves up for a nice P45 this week!

By Ruth. Posted July 5 2009 at 7:29 PM.

I don't shop in Primark because there are clothes everywhere and most of the other customers looked as though they owned the place - so after a brief look around I shall not cross the threshold ever again - so I guess the poor staff have a point.

If a shop sells merchandise at rock bottom prices you are going to get scumbags shopping in there and trashing the place.

By not a primark customer. Posted July 5 2009 at 7:09 PM.

to shocked

it is people like you who we are talking about here. what a terrible snobby, narrowminded attitude you have. if only everything in life was as cut and dry as you obviously seem to think it is. some of these staff are students, getting themselves that 'education' you obviosly think they lack. to some its a temporary job, but at least they have one. i suposse you are a rocket scientist. you just remember who pays your wages aswell 'love'.

By josh. Posted July 5 2009 at 7:03 PM.

As I have said in an earlier post, unfortunately the people who made the remarks will be sacked!

Alan

By Alan. Posted July 5 2009 at 6:57 PM.

What utter rubbish. Being a sales assistant isn't brain surgery all you are required to do is keep your fixtures tidy and stocked be familiar with the good being sold and assist customers. It's not a vocation it's a job and depending on the store you work for not necessarily a great job. What the nasty commenters need to remember is when they go into a shop, other than the one in which they work,they too become customers, how do they expect to be treated? if you expect scorn and disdain go ahead but if you were brought up well and not dragged up I'd expect that you would wish for helpful respectful assistance. As you sow so shall you reap.

By Pam. Posted July 5 2009 at 6:14 PM.

I suspect the minority of customers who drop things on the floor, are rude etc.... will probably go into Primark and do this even more.
Personally I choose not to shop in Primark very much, because the place is a mess. Mst other shops aren't in the state that Primark is in. If Primark choose to have folded garments on shelves, they will need to expect customers to pick them up and have a look at them, it is not expected for the customer to then refold the clothes. Perhaps Primark should think about more hanging space, which makes it easier to look at garments.
As for rudeness and manners, well it works both ways. The staff generally in the Primark where I live hardly say much or don't smile. No wonder some customers come across as rude.

By Oxymoron. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:51 PM.

I worked in Primark and I agree with the staff. The place is depressing and demoralising. I spent hours folding up knitwear and jeans only for some rude customer to just throw them on the floor. I don't get why Primark think it's a good idea to have piles of clothes on tables everywhere. The worst is the knicker section that was a nightmare to sort out. The wages were pathetic for the amount of hard work I put in. The Changing rooms were a joke with baskets full of clothes people couldn't be bothered to put back. I was depressed and working there just made it worse for me, I even attempted suicide. It saddens me how rude people can be. I'm 25 and in 4th year of my Art Degree, I've worked in a supermarket for three years and there's been too many people who don't bother to say thank you some of them treat me as if they think I stupid and don't know how to count to ten. Some barely acknowledge I'm there when I ask if they want anything. Also I'm tired of parents just letting their kid's run wild. One woman left her kids at the deli where I work. They were playing underneath the glass where I couldn't see them and one of them pulled off a metal panel injuring themselves. The mother had the cheek to blame it on me. I'm not there to babysit her kids. I can't bear to into Primark because of the bad memory's I have of the place.

By L Anderson. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:24 PM.

Primark is one of the worlds greatest shops, where else canyou get value like that. If you don't like it shop in Debenhams or M&s and pay twice the price for the same goods!

By bill. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:21 PM.

Good manners cost nothing. I agree that there are some shoppers who go into stores and wreck the shelves so to speak, and that is very annoying not just for the staff but for other shoppers too. Primark may well be a step up from a market store but in this day and age at least the clothes are affordable and stylish. What really hacks me off more than anything is when a person goes into a supermarket and takes sweets of the shelves to give to their children to eat whilst they do their shopping and then not pay for them when they have finished their shopping. It's stealing pure and simple.

By Lorna Wanstall. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:58 PM.

I like the odd trip to Primark to stock up on basics. I've always found the staff helpful and nice. I did find myself getting a bit surprised at seeing a T-shirt for £5 and thinking 'that's expensive' because I'd seen so many for £2. I felt like slapping myself in the face, so I know how the staff feel! People can be slobs when shopping, though, leaving stuff all over the place, etc. If the staff feel better for letting off steam on Facebook, good luck to them. We don't have to read it.

By Sara. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:49 PM.

The staff who have left comments on this page/joined the FB group either need a good talking to by their managers or need to find another job-preferably not in retail.They have no appreciation for "the customer is always right" and that they are employed to provide a friendly , helpful service-regardless of whether customers are "chavs" or not.In taking on a job at Primark they should be aware of how chaotic and difficult working in such busy stores can be.If they are dissatisfied with their working conditions/rates of pay,the matter should be taken up with Primark managment and not vented in such a disgusting manner on the customers.I, like many people who have left comments here, have worked in retail and am therefore,not without sympathy for the staff of Primark nor do I condone rude behaviour, it's just a fact that every job has it's dowsides and when you work in a shop you accept that people being rude or messy is an unavoidable aspect of the role.Maybe,the disgruntled Primark staff should look to themselves and ask why they aren't able to deal with difficult customers and their behaviour and come to a positive resolution for both parties. Because, surely,that is what being a customer service assistant is all about?The apparent dissatisfaction present within sections of the Primark workforce needs to be dealt with by the managment quickly before the staff (who are displaying the rude, ignorant, "chav behaviour" they blame the customers of),put all of their shoppers off.

By Tanith. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:17 PM.

No decent company would go out of business simply because of telling a few idiots who think they are doing us a favour by shopping there how we feel.

I'm constantly amazed just who gets a job when they are totally unsuitable and the rest of us can barely get a reply to a job application.

By Mike Brailsford. Posted July 5 2009 at 3:07 PM.

What they don't say is it's just some of the customers, i've walked into primark and seen folk just dump stuff on the ground...but i've also seen folk pick stuff up if they've dropped it. It's not hard to pick it up...2 seconds is all it takes.

I work with the public and some customers can be rude...but most of them are so nice and don't give you any hassles.

you do get the odd snob walking in when you're closing telling your kids to hurry up and choose a cake even though the tills have been closed. They don't care, they think that because they work somewhere that pays more they can act how they like. I'd like to see how they'd cope in a day in our lives...they'd probably find it difficult, because it bloody is!

By Brooke. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:55 PM.

Why is it I'm a size 14 in jeans everywhere else, but Primark I'm a size 18?

By Claire. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:54 PM.

Customer Service ha ha. Instead of having a go at customers they should try to improve themselves so they can get a better job. The other thing about customers querying bills, all i can say is that some customer service staff cannot do BASIC MATHS. This is the main reason customers get fed up, they are apalled at the service some customer service people provide.

By Nish. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:54 AM.

Good manners cost nothing! I think shop assistants should be allowed to refuse to serve bad mannered customers. Yes of course, intially the shops would lose custom but if customers are allowed to get away with bad manners then they will continue to do so.

By debbie. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:36 AM.

I've worked in clothes shops, supermarkets, shoe shops etc.. the majority of customers and it is the majority are unbeliveable rude to staff, they get away with it cause managers insist that staff kiss their a***. I remember one female telling me when I was pregnant ' they shouldn't have pregnant women working in shops, they make me sick' WTF??? Rude customers deserve the slating they get :)

By Linda. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:36 AM.

1. Not all staff have expressed these sentiments about customers, yet it appears all shop workers in all shops are lumped in the same category.

2. Not all customers will act like this while shopping, and, as above, the bad shoppers are lumped in with the good and are seen as a whole.

3. Not everyone will like Primark, and good for them if they can afford to shop elsewhere, but remember those who have to shop there due to low incomes and who are grateful to be able to clothe their children cheaply, which leaves more money free to buy food for their children--and they DON'T behave like those people mentioned. I'm not talking about so-called Chavs, or people with no manners or shopping etiquette, but those who genuinely HAVE to shop there. I suspect they would rather shop elsewhere, too, but life in general and the economic climate prevent this.

4. I realise working in retail is hard work at times--I have done so myself--but not all customers are rude and messy. Despite certain customers getting on your nerves, the professional side in a retail worker should be paramount, as should presenting the company in a good light.

5. Just because someone works in retail, doesn't mean they are stupid, uneducated, and couldn't find work elsewhere.

By ME. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:24 PM.

Who the hell would shop at Primark? it is a Chav market stall.
Fatty smelly pikeys scrambling for cheap shoddy goods. Yuk

By Kerry Trubee. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:32 PM.

In this current climate they should be glad they have jobs at all. I have had to take a job cold-calling for a market research company due to being made redundant and being able to find nothing else - I'll swap with a Primark assistant for the day and let's see who is faced with the most ignorant people over the course of a shift.

The problem however is not confined to Primark, in fact, I often find that the more upmarket a store is, the more ignorant their customers.

The majority of people who can afford to shop designer tend to have this air of superiority. I shop in Primark and can honestly say that it annoys me to see people coming in, unfolding clothes, leaving them on the floor etc. You wouldn't go into Tesco and start heaving boxes of corn flakes in the middle of the aisle so why are clothes in Primark any different? In that respect I can see their point but I'm afraid it's a case of like it or lump it.

By Emma. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:14 PM.

I worked in catering in a well known erergy provider
what our staff there had to put up with was appauling we were called names and swore at to our faces and the company i worked for did nothing just because they keep us in a job doesnt give the the right to be rude ( i used them for my gas and electricity so I kept them in a job and i would never have spoken to them as they did me and my staff)
you see posters on trains, buses etc reminding people no to abuse staff . ALL companies should protect thier staff I actualy left the job I loved for over 10 years because it was allowed to happen
I can see why tho, primark staff do this anytime I have went in to the shop its allways looked like a jumble sale and I have walked out because it so messy

By anon. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:10 PM.

i work in primark. the customers r quite annoying, they bump into you and dnt say sorry or excuse me...

they hit u with their baby bugees... they see u picking up items and then drop some more on the floor...

has anyone actually seen the state customers leave the shop floor?

By junior. Posted July 5 2009 at 2:05 PM.

Suggestion about changing jobs.
How the hell is it possible to just change jobs in this economical climate.
The fundemental problem with some customers today they just do not have any respect at all when shopping. I have seen some parents take food off a shelf in my local store and then give it to their children to eat; also I have watched adults do the same. This was technically stealing as it had not been paid for.

By bob. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:17 PM.

Maybe if customers actually learnt some manners and respect and their children would also follow suit, Primark is marketed at the very people who have very little money / respect/ prospects and so maybe the staff should look into enforcing behaviour standards in store (i.e anyone found dropping clothes-being abusive can be banned and prosecuted if need be) that sould soon improve the customers and staffs experience. In the current climate we should be thankful that people are still in empolyment and willing to serve customers.

By karen. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:51 PM.

I do agree with the staff here.... But i like shopping at Primark. I'm not a chav, I put the clothes back as I find them, I'm polite to staff and I'm a size 16 and know I am.

I do agree that probably 95% of there customers are chavvy and messy but for us other 5% don't tar us with the same brush.

I only shop there when I'm low on cash, just like I shop for clothes at tesco or george. High street shops are very expensive nowadays so low budget shops are a god send.

I wouldn't like to work in a place with customers like that, but please dont forget us honest, polite hard working customers!

By Caz. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:23 PM.

what a load of rubbish i shop in primark and am a size 10 and idont have "screaming muppets" running round the store!!! after thoses comments i will NEVER shop there again!!

By rhonda. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:26 PM.

Maybe the staff should stop moaning and, if they are that unhappy with their jobs, go out and find themselves another one.
No one made them work there and no one is going to force them to stay. If they have ideas that far above their station then stop moaning and so something about it.

By Julie. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:36 PM.

Sue.......
Bone-idle selfish nasty Primark staff, more like!
If you don't like keeping a low budget shop neat and tidy (part of the job discription) but would rather just stand around doing nothing and skive all day, then don't work there. You should not be in the retail trade as it has no room for waisters like you.

By Karen. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:36 PM.

i have been in the primark and you actually see loads of middle class people in there.
if you see 'chavs' in primark, what do you expect?
where do you think they are going to shopping..Harrods??

By Ann . Posted July 5 2009 at 12:32 PM.

I work on Primark and since I start working here I just change my opinion about what is mean be nice with people.
Most of the cusumers are disgusting. They respect no one, and because you work in a shop with cheap clothes that is mean your are totally below them.

''They spend less and think they are doing you a favour they spend a fiver as if it was a million pounds and expect you to smile and say have a nice day when they have just trashed your store and left with nothing.....'' perfectly right

People if you are not spending any money keep the place tidy.

If you don't respect you, you don't respect the others.

By Andreea. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:12 PM.

I used to work in Primark, and I have to say you have to have a thick skin when you work retail.
Most people think you must be an idoit as you work their, and the reality is a small majority of under 25, from my experience are educated to a degree level. Which probably is an indicator of the valueness of having a degree these days.

By Lousie. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:39 PM.

I feel sorry for the Primark staff having to clean up and fold clothes after people wreck the shop! but they shouldn't be calling the customers names, afterall they wouldn't have a job if people didn't buy the clothes

By leanne. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:36 PM.

It's a case of thin pikey tarts selling clothes to fatter pikey tarts.

By amanda forth. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:36 PM.

You won't catch me shopping in Primark anyway, there stuff is tat and their staff are uneducated.

By Karen. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:20 PM.

haaaaaaaaaaaa facts are bitter.people are living in denial.

By ken. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:02 PM.

! hefty warning to use Facebook connecting work whatsoever, you will be sacked. I should know!
A person from my work downloaded a Facebook thread from my profile. She thought it was about her.I was straight away was given a final written warning and suspended with full pay.4 months later, i have just been dismissed. My Facebook remark mentioned no names, not a mention of work and only initials once (which was aimed at a friend, who was not connected to my work place.
I am contacting the press next week to highkight how unfairly I have been treated and I will take my company to an employment tribunal.
Just to say,if you have mentioned work on FAcebook and your names are clear,start looking for another job.

Alan

By Alan. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:04 PM.

I was on a shopping trip to luton and went into the store, new to it I asked if they had a larger size department and I swore the woman was taking the mickey with the person to her side. I thought I was maybe making a big deal out of it inside my head, felt hurt by it , so said nothing and carried on. But this article has pointed out they do seem to take the mickey out of those who pay their wages. I have sent a memo to their complaints hoping the new store to open near me is trained to get over 'larger lady' phobia, if you can call it that.

By tracey. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:01 PM.

When I was in Primark I witnessed a 60+ something 'lady' threaten to smack the shop assistant in the mouth.
The young giel had done nothing to warrant this at all.

There is a new breed of overweight women using their obesity to bully people out of the way in shops.
Try being a size 8.
I blame people like Dawn French, Jo Brand et al for making obesity and rudeness appear attractive. It isn't.

By Paris. Posted July 5 2009 at 12:50 PM.

I agree with the staff ! I work in the retail sector too, people in this country are getting so fat and rude ! No-one has manners anymore !! What happened to please and thankyou ?! Pay the primark staff more !!

By S 1921. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:18 AM.

hahaha you should see the size who the t**ts who work in lthe ocal store where i live. Pot ,kettle and black springs to mind

By jazza. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:52 AM.

i agree with the staff the kind of people that shop in them low end stores some of them are trash all clothes strewn all over the floor mothers with there screaming brats running all over the shop i dont blame the staff for sounding off cheap stores attract some of the dregs in society

By jade. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:52 AM.

I used to work as a mystery shopper commenting on the customer services, staff knowledge of products etc. I wonder if Primark have considered having this service done on their shops. The results can be quite eye opening.

By Moira Kennedy. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:51 AM.

I work in another discount chain.....instore/poundstretcher.Most of the customers are friendly and polite but there will always be some who think we are beneath them.They come in,rip open the boxes to view the products and then buy the one they haven`t damaged.What is that about?I agree it is about upbringing,i wouldn`t dream about doing that but i was raised right.I am also educated but this job fits round my family obligations.

By libby monaghan . Posted July 5 2009 at 10:18 AM.

Nothing stopping the staff from changing their jobs.Without customers they would have NO job at all to bitch about.

By Billie. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:28 AM.

The staff are completely correct with regard to the vast majority of their customers.

By Alex. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:36 AM.

The primark staff should be just as politeful when they are out shopping or eating out!
But it is Britain as a whole who are more rude, more angry and more abusive.
I work with public everyday, and treat them as I want to be treated. As I do with everyone in my life.
Nobody has the right to pass judgement, for those who do fail to see the real world

By angie. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:59 AM.

I can actually see the staffs point of view but at the same time they shouldn't bite the hand that pays their wages. I used to work in a charity shop but I worked unpaid....a lot of the time some people would treat you like a lesser being because you worked in front of a till. Don't get me wrong I was very grateful for my job but maybe a lot could be done on both sides....

If there were more respect from both parties here then there wouldn't be this situation. Saying that though in a recession the workers should be lucky they've got a job at all....

Another thing is that people will make facebook groups to talk jabout their stresses of work....if press intentionally go out looking for them which I'm guessing they've obviously done or at least someone has what did they think they'd read?????

I personally don't shop at Primark as I realise that some of the clothes are made in 'sweatshops'...I don't believe that it's right to endorse this....if people don't like it go somewhere else....you can easily go to a charity shop and get a good quality of clothing....then you're helping a decent cause too.

By H. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:45 AM.

People of Britain on the whole are not racist,however with the recent presures in our country you could beleive its going that way, the same goes to this ever increasing group of, sorry to say this,fat rude people wandering around thinking the world owes them a favour,most people described in the article are very very likely be on benefit and actually earn more than the poor staff that work in Primark,im sick to death of seeing these huge women with their tattoos and fags and their grubby kids wandering about, we created this breed of people with our over generous benefit system ,cut the benefits and you will see better people coming through ,P.S Gordon Brown, when i was at school we did'nt have fat kids

By james. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:46 AM.

I am not a great fan of Primark as it lacks quality, however in the current credit crunch Primark does serve a purpose.

As regards the Staff of Primark if they do not want to work there they are not forced to do so, they know or should know what type of store it is and the type of customers it caters for. It is expected of every staff member when they apply for a job they should make an effort to learn the basics of the company. In this case irt is obvious that the staff did not bother learning about the company.

At best of times British Staff are neither properly trained nor have an understanding of service industry as in USA and Western European Countries were the customer is always right and is respected accordingly.

By Harrovian. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:04 AM.

"Chloe Brooks, 32, a size 16 from Maidstone"... (who is really a 24)...

Lets be honest though, 100% of what these people are saying is correct - Primark is total chav fest, more than one middle-class person in there in a day and its 'middle-class day'.

By Chris Froughton. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:01 AM.

guess the staff who put these comments on facebook must be model citizens then lol

By kenny. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:41 AM.

My friend has a theory that 97% of the population are fine, but it's the other 3% that mess it up for all of us.

Trust me, it's the 3% they're writing about and let's face it, they deserve it.

By Richard. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:57 AM.

Why do customers chuck clothes all over the place, staff may as well live in primark the time it takes them to fold all the clothes before opening the next morning!

If primark increased the pay of staff, they would be more happy to work their. The queues at primark are really long, but from what ive seen they go down really fast.

By Dom . Posted July 5 2009 at 9:57 AM.

I love the "stick with an education" comment. This is the customers first mistake, assuming that retail work is all the staff have ever done. I work part time in a large supermarket, my house is paid for, I don't want full time work anymore, I have no need to travel up to the city everyday and work full time in a pressured job anymore and there are a lot of people who I work with like me. Also, many are students and some are mothers of young children and some are pensioners who just want to top up their pensions and get out for a few hours a week, but they all have one thing in common they are better mannered and better educated than the people they are serving for the best part.

By Elizabeth. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:24 AM.

PRIMARK ARE MAKING MILLIONS, SO STOP SPENDING IT ON MORE CLOTHES AND PAY STAFF MORE!

By Dom. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:01 AM.

When I was last in Primark, in London's Oxford Street, I caught this announcement over the store tannoy system "would any member of staff who can speak Romanian please come to Security"

Despite Primark being cheap as chips there are still "customers" who prefer to pay less.

By AndrewSouthLondon. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:27 AM.

Although I've never shopped in Primark, I see the sorry results in my favourite charity shop.
Obviously the atmosphere and the clothes are fetid.

By Jo. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:26 AM.

My god, I have been to pri-marche;) probably twice, it is a crap store! some of the customers are muppets who are caiming benefits with about five kids and they do trash the place! I did think they needed air-con but then why bother when nobody respects the place!

By Dan. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:40 AM.

Everyone needs to have a rant now and again so i don't know why anyone would have a problem with this. We Brits are losing our manners so I can understand why staff feel the need to vent their spleen.

By Bev. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:39 AM.

I applaud anyone able to work in Primark. I used to work in Sports Direct which attracts similar customers and while some are quite reasonable, most think nothing about chucking clothes on the floor or over displays even though it would take less than a few seconds to replace the item of clothing. People are disgusting. They also used to leave discarded food around the shop and on a couple of time even used the changing room as a toilet. I'm so glad I no longer work there. Being employed in a low-end shop really makes you realise how lazy and awful some of the human race are.

By Anonymous. Posted July 5 2009 at 9:39 AM.

Lots of snobbishness here. Plenty of people educated to degree level work in shops, better than being on the dole!

By BH. Posted July 5 2009 at 10:21 AM.