The head of fast fashion chain Primark, Paul Marchant, has resigned with immediate effect after he admitted to an "error of judgment" during an interaction with a woman in a social situation late last year.

The longtime leader of Primark admitted an “error of judgement” in his behavior towards a woman in a social environment.

Mr Marchant was the chief executive of Primark (which trades as Penneys in Ireland) – the 450-strong chain of fashion shops – until Monday. The 56-year-old is a veteran of the retail sector. He previously worked at a raft of major UK high street brands, including Debenhams, Topman and River Island.