Primark Christmas quarter sales down 2.7% amid plans for new Irish store 

Trading update casts a shadow over the AB Foods' plans to separate Primark from its food business

The new store in Cavan town will be the retailer's 39th store in the Republic of Ireland.

Penneys and Primark owner Associated British (AB) Foods, which warned on profit earlier this month, confirmed on Thursday that underlying sales at its Primark clothing business fell by 2.7% in the Christmas quarter.

When AB Foods issued its profit warning in early January, it published sales estimates for the 16 weeks to January 3, with final figures being published on Thursday.