Britain's Primark pledges not to raise prices

LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - British clothing retailer Primark
will not raise prices for its spring/summer range despite
inflationary cost pressures, the finance chief of its owner
Associated British Foods said on Thursday.

"Primark prices for the consumer will remain where they
are," John Bason told Reuters. "It's locked and loaded."

Rival Next has flagged price rises of 3.7% in the
first half of 2022 and 6% in the second half due to higher
freight rates and increased manufacturing costs. Marks & Spencer
has also indicated price rises are coming.

Bason said the UK government's move on Wednesday to lift
COVID-19 restrictions for England had improved the outlook for
Primark as more people would return to city centre workplaces
and think more about overseas holidays.

"In the UK and Ireland I think we're looking at an improving
consumer outlook on the back of the Omicron infection rates
coming down and I think it will be underpinned by those COVID
restrictions being lifted yesterday," he said after Primark
updated on Christmas trading.
(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Kate Holton)