John Lewis Partnership to cut further 1,000 jobs

The John Lewis Partnership has announced plans to cut a further 1,000 jobs across its John Lewis and Waitrose stores as part of its ongoing cost-cutting transformation strategy.

The company said the move aims to simplify its management structures, and that the saved money will be reinvested into areas like frontline customer service and visual merchandising.

A John Lewis Partnership spokesperson said in a statement: “We have announced to our Partners our intention to simplify our management structures in Waitrose and John Lewis stores, which will allow us to reinvest in what matters most to our customers.”

The retailer has now cut almost 4,000 jobs in just over a year as part of its five-year plan to return to sustainable profits by 2025.

John Lewis announces management shake-up

In March, the company reported a full-year loss before tax of 517 million pounds, compared to a profit before tax of 146 million pounds a year earlier, after the business was hit hard by prolonged store closures during multiple lockdowns.

That same month, the company confirmed it would not reopen eight of its 42 stores from lockdown in the UK as it looked to “rebalance” its store estate amid changing shopping behaviours.

The company, which aims to become a 60 to 70 percent online retailer by 2025, last month announced plans to add more than 100 fashion brands to its offering in the next 12 months by allowing them for the first time to sell their products directly on its website.

The company said it aims to add 40 new brands in the coming six months in a bid to attract a more “diverse range of customers”.

As part of that, the company will have an increased focus on plus-size, sustainable and more affordable brands.