Primark has announced a major change to its stores which has seen some backlash on Twitter.

The high street store has said it will be ensuring that it allows a safe space for women by creating a "dedicated fitting room area for women, as well as continuing to offer a combined fitting room area which everyone can use".

The retailer has also confirmed it will be making cubicles more secure by increasing the length of curtains and adding new mechanisms to hold the curtains firmly in place.

In a statement, Primark said: “It’s really important to us that everyone has a positive experience in our stores. If they don’t, we are committed to doing all we can to make things better.

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“We’ll be monitoring these changes closely and continuing to listen to our customers and colleagues.”

The statement confirms that the combined fitting area will be for everyone, and the women-only fitting area is for “all women” and will not require identification for entry.

Customers threaten to boycott Primark

However, the move has seen some negative reaction online, with customers using the hashtag “boycott Primark” on Twitter.

Primark tweeted: “We want our stores to be places where everyone feels safe and welcome. We've listened and we’re making some important changes to our fitting rooms”, to which one customer shared their frustration with the new policy.

They wrote: “No you haven’t. If anyone can 'identify as a woman' and get access to areas where women and vulnerable in a state of undress, you’re still not listening, and you are enabling predators. We see you. We won’t shop with you.”

In the announcing statement, Primark said: “We want our stores to be places where everyone feels safe and welcome.

“We’re sorry to hear this hasn’t been the experience some people have reported in our fitting rooms.

“We’ve listened to feedback from our customers and colleagues and you’ll start to see changes in our UK stores in the coming weeks.”

On Twitter, the store confirmed the changes would also be applied to stores in Ireland.