Clothing and homewares retailer Primark has launched a mobile app in Italy and Ireland which will allow customers to browse products and check stock availability in stores.

Customers can explore Primark’s latest trends, save curated favourites, and use a built-in store locator to plan their visits.

Users can also opt-in for personalised notifications to stay up to date on the latest arrivals, collection launches and exclusive updates.

Primark said the app brings the “full Primark experience” directly into customers’ pockets, offering a convenient and engaging new way to connect with the brand, with the platform designed to meet growing expectations for mobile-enabled convenience and to complement the in-store shopping experience.

The retailer says that it has launched the app in two very different markets to test and learn how customers interact with the app in different retail environments.

Ireland has a loyal and highly engaged customer base, whereas Italy is a growing market for the brand.

Primark said insights from these markets will inform further development of the app ahead of its launch in further markets including the UK, which Primark said will happen with the next 18 months.

Matt Houston, chief customer and digital officer, said that by launching in two very different markets the company can test at scale, refine the experience, and build a roadmap that is shaped by real customer behaviour.

This insight will be “critical” as the company develops the app for other markets.

“This launch is an important step in our ongoing digital investment as we harness the power of digital to complement our stores and offer our customers a more seamless browsing and shopping experience,” he added. “We know our customers increasingly start their shopping journey online, whether that’s checking what’s new or planning a visit, and the app gives them the tools to do that in a more intuitive, personalised way.”

The news builds on the roll out of the new Primark websites across all 17 Primark markets over the past three years, as well as a steady investment from the retailer on its digital capabilities.

In May, it announced the completion of the rollout of its Click & Collect service to all stores across Great Britain, giving all customers access to Primark’s full ranges.

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