Primark has temporarily laid off 68,000 workers in 12 countries because of the coronavirus.
The mandatory furlough comes as the fast fashion giant, trading as Penneys here, admitted it has taken a €284 million hit on unsold Spring stock.
Primark is owned by Associated British Foods.
Sales have plunged from €744 million a month to zero as a result of the virus.
The fashion business has shut 376 stores and has no online presence to fall back on.
"One of the world's great clothing retailers is entirely shut," ABF chief executive George Weston said yesterday.
The company will not pay an interim dividend to save cash during the Covid-19 crisis.
When stores will reopen remains uncertain but is likely to be complex as costly social distancing measures will need to be implemented, the company believes.
"It's the right thing to do and we have no choice anyway because no one's going to want to come into a store which ignores social distancing," Mr Weston said.
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