Approximately 25 stores in northwest England will participate in the trial, which will begin by the end of the year.

Associated British Foods has announced that its fashion business Primark will test a click-and-collect service for children’s products.

Primark has selected a broader selection of products for the trial, which will be conducted in up to 25 stores in northwest England.

The assortment includes approximately 2,000 clothing, accessory, and lifestyle products.

The trial will commence later in the year.

According to Associated British Foods, click and collect has the potential to satisfy unmet demand and increase foot traffic from existing and new customers.

Gowling WLG retail partner Sarah Riding stated: “Primark’s entry into this revenue stream is long overdue, despite the inherent risk associated with any retail expansion at present.

“Nevertheless, given that their store-based foot traffic has exceeded expectations in terms of generating high revenue, the captive audience on standby for this service appears to be more assured for them than for others.

As the trial progresses, it will be interesting to see how broadly Primark casts its net when introducing more variety for this service.

The news comes after Associated British Foods, which owns sugar, grocery, agriculture, and ingredients businesses, reported a 32 percent increase in revenue for its third-quarter ending on 28 May.

Compared to the same period in 2021, when stores were closed until the middle of April due to pandemic-related restrictions, its food businesses saw a 10 percent increase in sales, while Primark saw an 81 percent increase.

The company anticipates “significant progress” in its adjusted operating profit and adjusted earnings per share for the full year.