When Primark, the Irish fashion giant, opened its first store in Kuwait earlier this month, it didn’t just welcome crowds, it set the Gulf’s retail world on edge. One morning the region woke up to lines snaking around Avenues Mall for a brand best known for £5 tees and TikTok viral campaigns, and suddenly the Gulf’s luxury-first retail universe felt changed. The buzz wasn’t about logos or labels; it was about value and the thrill of getting more for less. And that shift has everyone watching nervously.
Behind the excitement, something else is happening: competitors are already flinching. From quiet price adjustments to rushed merchandising tweaks, retailers across Kuwait, and Dubai are keeping a close eye on the strategy. The question everyone is asking? How to counter a brand that isn’t playing by the region’s usual rules.
Primark opened its first regional store in Kuwait through a partnership with Alshaya Group, attracting crazy crowds on opening day. The store offers a range of products, from womenswear and menswear to home and beauty, all at its famously affordable prices. This marks a significant move for a brand built on value, signaling a shift in the local definition of what makes shopping feel worthwhile.
For years, Middle Eastern shoppers encountered Primark abroad, in cities like London and Madrid, often filling extra suitcases with budget-friendly finds. Now, that same excitement is coming directly to the region. However, Primark’s key challenge in a market like Dubai lies in redefining the very concept of value. “Primark’s challenge in Dubai lies in redefining value. In a culture of status and service, affordability must still feel aspirational,” Ayush Tandon, Creative Lead at The Hanging House, told Communicate.
“The brand will need to elevate visual merchandising, store design, and staff training while maintaining its accessible pricing. The goal is to deliver an experience that feels polished, not cheap.”
According to Tandon, value becomes aspirational when the shopping experience reframes affordability as empowerment.
“In Dubai, where status is often expressed through presentation, a well-designed, seamless Primark experience allows customers to feel stylish and smart, not just thrifty,” he explained. “The aspiration shifts from owning luxury to owning confidence.”
This strategy involves translating cultural insights into design, adjusting layouts, tone, and product storytelling to meet local expectations. The aim is cultural empathy without losing the brand’s core identity, creating an experience that is familiar to the global customer, yet distinctly relevant to the Middle Eastern audience.
But how does a high-street brand break into a luxury-loving market?
According to Tandon, the differentiator will be an unwavering focus on experience. Primark’s draw in Dubai will be a mix of its low prices and energy, along with a space where everyone can enjoy fashion without pressure.
This means keeping prices low while elevating everything else, from the store’s aesthetic to the customer welcome.
Over the years, Primark has mastered this balance. Through clever collaborations, trend-driven collections, and an in-store energy that feels like a treasure hunt, it has evolved from a “bargain bin” label into a brand people genuinely love.
By positioning itself as a destination for affordable fashion, Primark taps into a huge consumer segment: shoppers who want great prices without compromising on style or quality. This strategy has helped the brand build a loyal customer base that cuts across age groups, income levels, and markets.
But this success is not without competitive pressure. Few global retailers, including ASDA, Esprit, and Forever 21, have expanded their offshore operations, allowing them to offer similarly low prices. Others, like H&M, Zara, Marks & Spencer, Target, Topshop, and Miss Selfridge, compete on trend, brand perception, and speed to market, point out industry reports.
Early signals from Kuwait suggest a significant market disruption: while hard sales figures may not yet be visible, as most retailers report quarterly, industry insiders say Primark’s arrival has already triggered a noticeable reaction from competitors.
And it’s only the beginning. Following the Kuwait launch, the brand is set to open three stores in Dubai, starting with a flagship location in the Dubai Mall in March 2026.
