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Currently trades from 29 U.S. stores

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Plans 60 U.S. stores by 2026

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Says could benefit from end of "de minimis" duty exemption

By James Davey

LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - Associated British Foods' ( ASBFF )

Primark clothing retail business is committed to

expanding in the United States despite President Donald Trump's

erratic approach to tariffs, its boss said on Tuesday.

Primark's U.S. business accounts for about 5% of the unit's

total sales. It currently trades from 29 stores in the U.S. and

has signed an additional 18 leases.

Trump's stream of tariff announcements, roll-backs and

exemptions has left some firms wary of committing to expansion.

However, AB Foods chief executive George Weston said Primark

was "absolutely" committed to a plan to have 60 U.S. stores by

2026 and remains confident it can succeed in a market that has

been a graveyard for some of Britain's biggest retailers,

including Marks & Spencer ( MAKSF ) and Tesco ( TSCDF ).

Weston told Reuters in an interview that Primark would take

the "(tariff) hits where we have to take them and before we take

more substantive actions wait to see where we really are."

But he said Primark could benefit from Trump's move to end

the "de minimis" duty exemption, which allows shipments worth

less than $800 duty-free entry to the U.S. and has helped

companies like Shein keep prices low.

"De minimis imports in the U.S. are very, very large, they

supply a lot of Americans who don't know about Primark yet but

are looking for value," he said.

"With prices going up from this part of the trade, I wonder

if some Americans might start going back to shopping centres to

find value there."

Weston was speaking after AB Foods reported first half

results.