Primark & Co.: Welche Marke produziert die besten Billig-Klamotten? | Galileo | ProSieben

Galileo

8 Sept 201711:30

Summary

TLDRThis video script explores the affordability and quality of clothing from budget retailers like C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg, Primark, and Takko Fashion. The narrator buys 25 items from each store to test their durability and quality over ten days. The results from an independent lab in Bielefeld show that, surprisingly, most of the cheap clothing holds up well, with only one pair of jeans and socks from C&A showing significant wear. The script also touches on the ethical concerns of cheap clothing production in developing countries and the need for improvement in working conditions and environmental standards.

Takeaways

🛍️ The script discusses the affordability of clothing in discount stores, highlighting the ability to fill shopping carts with items like T-shirts for two euros and jeans for nine euros.
🏬 It mentions four major discount clothing retailers: C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg (Peek), Primark, and Takko Fashion, focusing on their low prices and the quality of their products.
📊 A test was conducted where 100 clothing items were purchased and tested over ten days to determine which discounter offers the best value for money in terms of quality and price.
👕 C&A, being one of the oldest and largest discount clothing providers in Germany with a sales volume of 2.5 billion euros, is noted for its high-quality products despite low prices.
👖 The script surprises with the variety of products available in discount stores, including organic cotton shirts, which are not typically associated with cheap discounters.
💰 Takko Fashion, with a net sales volume of 600 million euros, offers a smaller selection than C&A but at even lower prices, with items like T-shirts for ten euros.
🎉 Kik, a well-known German clothing discounter with a sales volume of over one billion euros, is praised for its wide range of products and extremely low prices.
🇮🇪 Primark, an Irish chain present in Germany for eight years, is noted for its up-to-date fashion, current prices lower than other discounters, and central city locations.
🧵 The script emphasizes the importance of clothing quality, especially for cheap items, and mentions an independent lab test to assess the durability and color retention of the clothes.
🧦 A particular focus is placed on the durability of socks, which often wear thin at the heels quickly, and how different discounters' socks perform in a wear and tear test.
🌍 The script touches on the issue of cheap clothing production in developing countries, where there are often few environmental regulations and very low wages, and the ongoing efforts to improve conditions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is a comparative test of affordable clothing from different discount stores, focusing on price, quality, and durability.
Which discount clothing stores are mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg (Peek), Primark, Takko Fashion, and KIK as the discount clothing stores being tested.
What is the significance of the 2.5 billion euros in sales mentioned for C&A?
-The 2.5 billion euros in sales signifies that C&A is one of the largest and oldest discount clothing providers in Germany, despite its low prices.
What is special about the T-shirts and jeans tested from these discount stores?
-The T-shirts and jeans are tested for their quality and durability at such low prices, with T-shirts costing as low as two euros and jeans for nine euros.
What does the script suggest about the quality of cheap clothing items?
-The script suggests that even though the clothing items are cheap, it is possible to get passable quality, as shown by the test results.
What kind of testing was done on the clothing items in the script?
-The clothing items were tested for durability by being worn and washed over a period of ten days. They were also tested in an independent textile laboratory for material quality and colorfastness.
What was the outcome of the ten-day test for the T-shirts from the discount stores?
-The T-shirts from all four discount stores showed minimal wear and tear, maintaining their shape and showing no significant changes after the ten-day test.
What was the issue with the socks tested in the script?
-The issue with the socks was that they became thin quickly, especially at the heels, after being subjected to a machine simulation of multi-week wear and friction.
What was the surprising result regarding the jeans from Primark?
-The surprising result was that the jeans from Primark, which cost only ten euros, showed good quality and did not deteriorate significantly after the test, unlike some other items.
What does the script imply about the production conditions of cheap clothing?
-The script implies that while cheap clothing is often produced under poor conditions with low wages and inadequate safety measures, the low prices are not solely responsible for these issues, as they affect almost all brands producing in these countries.
What was the overall conclusion of the script regarding the quality of cheap clothing from discount stores?
-The overall conclusion was that it is possible to get reasonably good quality clothing even at low prices, as evidenced by the positive results from the majority of the tested items, with only socks and one pair of jeans showing poor performance.

Outlines

00:00

🛍️ Affordable Fashion: Quality and Price Test

This paragraph discusses the affordability of clothing in large retail chains like C&A, Peek & C, Primark, and Takko Fashion. It highlights the low prices of items such as T-shirts for two euros and jeans for nine euros. The script introduces a test to determine which of these retailers offers the best value for money in terms of quality and price. The narrator mentions purchasing 25 pieces of clothing from each store, totaling over 150 euros, and expresses surprise at the results, which were unexpected even by experienced testers. The paragraph concludes with a detailed look at C&A's offerings, including organic cotton shirts and the presence of many salespeople, which is unusual for discount stores.

05:01

🧪 Testing the Durability and Quality of Discount Clothing

The second paragraph delves into the testing process of the clothing items purchased from various discount retailers. The focus is on understanding which cheap clothing items hold up over time and which do not. The testing includes sending the items to a textile laboratory in Bielefeld for expert analysis using modern technology to examine the fibers. The paragraph covers the testing of cheap jeans, T-shirts, and socks, looking at aspects such as fabric durability, color retention, and shrinkage. It also touches on the ethical concerns related to the production of cheap clothing, pointing out that most of these items are produced in countries with lax environmental regulations and poor working conditions, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, and China. The paragraph concludes with the results of the ten-day durability tests, revealing that none of the clothing items contained carcinogenic substances and that the T-shirts from all four discounters performed similarly in terms of shape retention and colorfastness.

10:02

👖 Surprising Results from Discount Clothing Tests

The final paragraph reveals the surprising outcomes of the clothing tests. Despite initial concerns about the quality and longevity of cheap clothing, the results show that most items, except for one pair of jeans and some socks, performed well. The paragraph emphasizes that it is possible to get decent quality clothing even at low prices. It also highlights the one pair of jeans from Primark that cost only ten euros but showed excellent results, indicating that spending a bit more can yield a good quality product. The conclusion is that while cheap clothing can wear out and fade quickly, there are exceptions, and consumers can find value in discount clothing if they choose wisely.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Budget Clothing

Budget clothing refers to affordable garments that are typically sold at lower prices than premium brands. In the video's context, the theme revolves around testing the quality and value of budget clothing from various discount stores. The script mentions 'T-shirts for two euros, jeans for nine euros,' illustrating the affordability of these items.

💡Discounters

Discounters are retail stores that sell products at reduced prices, often offering a wide range of budget clothing. The script discusses several discounters like C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg, Primark, and Takko Fashion, emphasizing their role in providing inexpensive clothing options.

💡Quality

Quality in the context of the video refers to the durability, material, and overall craftsmanship of the clothing items. The script explores whether low-priced clothing can offer good quality, as seen in the line 'but who gets the best value for money.'

💡Testing

Testing in this script involves subjecting the purchased clothing items to a ten-day trial period to evaluate their performance and quality. The video aims to determine which discounter offers the best value for money, as indicated by '100 clothing items ten days of testing.'

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the video is related to the environmental and social impact of producing cheap clothing. The script touches on the issue of low wages and poor working conditions in countries where discount clothing is often manufactured, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, India, and China.

💡C&A

C&A is a major clothing retailer mentioned in the script as one of the oldest and largest providers of budget clothing in Germany. The video discusses C&A's sales figures and its reputation for quality despite low prices, as seen in 'C&A with 2.5 billion euros in turnover and over 150 years the oldest budget clothing provider in Germany.'

💡Primark

Primark is an Irish clothing chain that has been present in Germany for eight years, known for its up-to-date fashion and lower prices compared to other discounters. The script highlights Primark's pricing strategy, such as 'jeans for eight euros, blouses for seven euros,' and its urban store locations.

💡KIK

KIK is a well-known German clothing discounter with over a billion euros in turnover. The script mentions KIK for its extensive product range and lower prices compared to other stores, as indicated by 'KIK the most famous German clothing discounter with over a billion euros in turnover.'

💡Takko Fashion

Takko Fashion is a lesser-known discounter with a net turnover of 600 million euros. The script notes Takko Fashion for its smaller selection compared to C&A but also for being cheaper, as seen in 'Takko Fashion with 600 million euros net turnover a heavyweight.'

💡Laboratory Testing

Laboratory testing in the video involves sending the clothing items to an independent lab for quality assessment. The script describes the process of testing the durability of jeans, color retention, and shrinkage of T-shirts, as well as the longevity of socks, to determine which discounter's products hold up best.

💡Environmental and Social Standards

Environmental and social standards refer to the regulations and practices related to the production of clothing, especially in developing countries where many discounters manufacture their products. The script discusses the ongoing issues of poor environmental protections and low wages, as mentioned in 'there are still very few environmental protection regulations and very low wages.'

Highlights

The study tests the quality of low-priced clothing from major discount retailers such as C&A, Peek & Cloppenburg, Primark, and Takko Fashion.

C&A, despite its low prices, offers a wide range of clothing including organic cotton shirts, which is unusual for discounters.

Takko Fashion, though less known, has a smaller selection but offers even cheaper prices than C&A.

Kik is the most well-known German clothing discounter with a wide variety of products beyond clothing, including food and toys.

Primark, an Irish chain, offers the lowest prices among the tested retailers with jeans for as low as eight euros.

The study involved purchasing 25 pieces of clothing from each retailer and testing them for quality over a ten-day period.

Surprisingly, the quality of the tested clothing items was generally good, with only a few exceptions.

The independent lab in Bielefeld used modern technology to examine the fibers and assess the durability of the clothing.

The jeans were tested for fabric quality, durability at the seams, and color retention after washing.

T-shirts were evaluated for shape retention, colorfastness, and resistance to artificial sweat stains.

Socks were tested for thinning at the heels and toes, a common issue with low-cost socks.

No carcinogenic substances were found in any of the clothing items tested.

T-shirts from all four discounters showed minimal wear and maintained their shape after the wash test.

The artificial sweat test revealed no staining or odor issues with any of the T-shirts.

C&A's socks performed better than Takko's in the wear and tear test, but both showed visible thinning.

Only one pair of jeans from the discounters failed the test, indicating good quality for the price.

The study concludes that it is possible to get decent quality clothing even at low prices.

The production of discount clothing often occurs in countries with lax environmental regulations and low wages, raising ethical concerns.

Despite the low prices, the quality of the clothing items tested was generally satisfactory, challenging the notion that 'cheap buys twice'.