PRIMARK has sparked a huge debate amongst customers after revealing the correct pronunciation of its name.
The budget retailer has sent shoppers into a frenzy, with people from all over the country realising that they have been saying it wrong.
The first syllable has left shoppers from England, Scotland, and Wales confused, with some insisting the pronunciation is “Pree-mark”, whilst others pronounce it as “Pr-eye-mark”.
Others have nicknamed the store “Primarni”, to rhyme with high-end designer Armani.
But the retailer took to Instagram, deciding it was “time to settle the debate.”
However, shoppers from the Republic of Ireland have been left out of the heated discussion, as the store is called Penneys in Dublin.
The Primark Instagram account shared a series of posts to its 11.1 million followers, pointing out that their name is, in fact, pronounced “Pr-eye-mark.”
They also clarified that pronunciations such as “Pr-ee-mark,” “Pri-marni,” and “Pri-merk” are incorrect.
However, this sparked a huge debate, gaining over 22,700 likes, with many people outraged by the revelation.
One person wrote: “Everyone in Scotland disagrees. It’s definitely Pree-mark.”
Whilst a second added: “In Belfast it will ALWAYS AND FOREVER be PREEMARK! And we have your 1980s/1990s TV ad to prove it.”
A third said: “Thank god you said it! Can’t stand it when people say Pr-ee-mark – like where’s the E come from?”
Another commented: “Preemark for me… I’ve called it that for the last 30+ years and I’m a Londoner.”
Someone else added: “Irritates me when people say preemark. It’s Primark – English spelling with an I.”
“My mum calls it preemark and I don’t let her go to the shop until she says it properly,” said another.
While customers in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland argued over the pronunciation of the retailer’s name, Irish shoppers were laughing.
“Penneys… always… even in locations where they call it Primark! I said what I said,” one user commented.
Another added: “It’s Penneys, even when I’m anywhere else except Ireland, it’s Penneys.”
Primark’s history
PRIMARK first opened in 1969 as Pennies in Dublin, hoping to provide affordable fashion in Ireland.
A Primark store officially opened as Primark in 1974 in Derby.
The retailer now has 193 stores across the UK and 441 stores worldwide with a goal of running 530 stores by the end of 2026.
