Boots to axe 4,000 jobs and John Lewis 1,300 at risk as Covid-19 fallout goes on

THOUSANDS OF job cuts were announced yesterday by leading retailers as the coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the nation’s economy.

Boots said it expects to cut more than 4,000 jobs, while John Lewis announced yesterday that it is to permanently close eight stores, putting 1,300 workers at risk.

The move by Boots will affect about seven per cent of the workforce and will particularly affect staff in its Nottingham support office.

It will also affect some deputy and assistant managers, beauty advisers and customer advisers across its stores.

The restructuring will also result in the closure of 48 Boots Opticians stores.

It comes after retail sales tumbled by 48 per cent over the past three months in the face of the pandemic, despite Boots keeping swathes of its stores open to customers. Sebastian James, managing director of Boots UK, said: “We recognise that today’s proposals will be very difficult for the remarkable people who make up the heart of our business and we will do everything in our power to provide the fullest support during this time.”

The John Lewis Partnership said department stores in Birmingham and Watford would be affected, along with four At Home stores in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth, and travel sites at Heathrow and St Pancras.

The eight outlets were already “financially challenged” but customers had moved away from stores and towards shopping online faster due to coronavirus, the retailer said.

The group estimated between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of John Lewis sales will be made online this year and next, compared with 40 per cent before the crisis.

About 1,300 of its workers, known as partners, will now enter consultations over the cuts.

The John Lewis Partnership’s chairwoman, Sharon White, said: “Closing a shop is always incredibly difficult and today’s announcement will come as very sad news to customers and partners.

“But we believe closures are necessary to help us secure the sustainability of the partnership and continue to meet the needs of our customers, however and wherever they want to shop.”

Meanwhile, Burger King UK’s chief executive, Alasdair Murdoch, has warned that up to 1,600 jobs could be lost as a result of the pandemic.

Only about 370 of the restaurant chain’s 530 UK stores have reopened since the nation went into lockdown.

We believe closures are necessary to secure our sustainability.

Sharon White, chairwoman of the John Lewis Partnership.