Primark has announced plans for a new website.

The popular clothing retailer, which has shops across Kent including a flagship store in Bluewater Shopping Centre near Dartford, has said it is preparing to launch a new online offering for shoppers.

The website, confirmed in its latest trading update, will be ready early next year.

But in more disappointing news for shoppers - the site is unlikely to provide much in the way of online shopping or home delivery.

Primark, which has endured many months of closures since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last March, says the new improved site will allow it to showcase a 'much larger proportion' of its range along with other helpful information for customers.

Currently Primark's website only displays a limited selection of stock across clothing, homeware and beauty and fashion followers often turn to its social media channels to find out the latest about new arrivals.

You can also buy a gift card online or search for your nearest store through its existing website.

Despite no plans to offer direct online shopping through the new site, Primark says improved functions mean that it will instead be able to provide customers with detailed information about the availability of stock in each of its 189 UK stores and tell customers which stores are selling items they have their eye on before they set off in person.

The report says: "The improved functionality of the website will allow us to showcase a much larger proportion of the Primark range and provide to customers range availability by store."

Primark said sales hit £1.6billion between February 28 and June 19, compared to £600,000 in sales in the same period last year as a result of the lockdown closures.

The trading report also notes a demand from its customers for new clothing ranges as stores open and lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

It reads: "The relevance and appeal of our value-for-money offering has been evidenced by the number of customers that have returned to shop in person in our stores, across every one of our markets, each time we have reopened post-lockdown.

"This reopening has also seen a resurgence in demand for fashion across womenswear and menswear, as customers start to step out of lockdown leisurewear."

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