Primark is making a major change to how customers shop in its stores in a bid to deter shoplifters.

The nationwide retailer has launched a trial of sealing paper carrier bags with blue 'sold' stickers in an attempt to stop shoplifting. 

The trial, which is currently being tested in 18 stores, involves checkout staff adding the stickers to the carrier bags following a purchase.

This means that customers will have to rip the stickers to get to their items.

South Wales Argus: Primark is testing the change in 18 stores.( PA)Primark is testing the change in 18 stores.( PA) (Image: PA)

Customers who try to leave the Primark stores in the trial will be stopped by security, it has been reported.

Primark was unable to provide a list of the affected stores since it is a security measure but the retailer did comment on the change.

A spokesperson from Primark said: “Anti-social behaviour and crime is rising and we’re working with retailers and organisations to help tackle this.

"We’re now also trialling new measures to help prevent stock loss, which includes sealing bags with ‘sold’ stickers once a customer pays for their items at the tills.

"We’ll be keeping an eye on this and monitoring the impact these new measures have.”

The trial comes after news that Primark is planning to open five new locations in the next two years.

The openings are meant to mark the chain's 50th anniversary on the UK high street.

On March 6, the first new store opened in Bury St Edmunds.

New sites in Teesside Park and Glasgow Fort are expected to follow later this year.

Recommended reading

Two new locations in Epsom, Surrey, and Newbury, Berkshire have also been confirmed by the retailer.

These locations are set to open from 2025.

The brand gave an update on its plans last month where it shared that it would be investing more than £100million in its UK stores.

Its plans include extensions to some of its biggest stores including the London Westfield Stratford location.

The store is expected to almost double in size to more than 81,000sq ft to become the second largest Primark in the capital.