Primark is set to launch home delivery in Great Britain for the first time, marking a major shift in strategy after years of resisting ecommerce. Parent company Associated British Foods confirmed the move in its latest trading update, revealing that Primark has acquired a highly automated fulfilment facility in Sheffield to support the service. Primark has long maintained that the economics of delivering its low-priced products directly to shoppers did not stack up, instead focusing its digital investment on driving customers into stores. However, ABF said the retailer’s growing “digital maturity”, alongside the success of its Click & Collect service and changes in the online market, meant there was now an opportunity for “profitable growth through the home delivery channel”. The move represents a significant U-turn for the retailer, which told Retail Gazette earlier this year that its position on home delivery remained unchanged.