It has been reported that John Lewis and Waitrose are planning to cut 1,000 jobs as part of an overhaul of its store management structure.
The John Lewis Partnership announced earlier this year it is trying to cut costs of around £300 million as shopping habits change and more people shop online. It said in March that it recorded a pre-tax loss of £517 million last year.
This latest news also follows the closure of eight John Lewis stores, which put almost 1,500 jobs at risk back in the Spring.
The proposed job cuts – which will “reduce the number of layers between our most senior leaders and non-management shop floor staff” – will allow the retail giant “to reinvest in what matters most to customers”, a John Lewis Partnership spokesperson said.
The company added that it will invest in customer service roles and visual merchandising – “to make our shops look their best to entice customers”, it said.
John Lewis currently has 34 stores across the UK and there are 331 Waitrose stores. The 80,000 staff are also Partners in the business and usually get a share of the profits, although last year the Partnership announced it will not give staff members a bonus for the first time since 1953 – after the year’s lockdowns and store closures knocked the company’s performance.
