Primark, the Dublin-headquartered retailer that trades in Ireland as Penneys, opened its first store in Italy today.

The retailer, which currently operates more than 285 stores across continental Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland, opened a store covering 56,000sq ft in the Il Centro shopping centre in Arese, Milan. The store will employ 400 members of staff.

"This new Primark store will offer our new Italian customers amazing fashion at amazing prices for all the family," Primark chief executive Paul Marchant said.

Primark will open a further three stores next month, in York Monks Cross in the UK and Groningen and Alkmaar in The Netherlands. Primark’s third store in the US will open in Danbury, Connecticut in June.

Primark entered the US market in September last year with two openings in Boston and Pennsylvania.