// White Stuff to make job cuts due to Covid-19 impact on business

// The retailer has 1500 colleagues across 120 stores

White Stuff is reportedly set to make redundancies at its head office in an effort to prepare the business for a reduction in demand and opening hours due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The lifestyle retailer has over 1500 workers across 120 stores in the UK, and has told its sales and head office staff that it is opening a consultation on potential job cuts.

Although the number of jobs set to be cut are unknown, the retailer said there would be a “significant” amount of redundancies as a direct result of Covid-19, Sky News reported.

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White Stuff said the coronavirus pandemic has impacted trading conditions on the high street and will continue to do so post lockdown.

It is set on cutting jobs now in a bid to ensure that all its stores remain open.

While the retailer may also ensure that social distancing measures are met in stores after they have reopened, it is also likely that stores would be open for shorter hours, have less customers and require fewer staff to keep them open.

Prior to the pandemic, White Stuff had announced it was placing some of its head office roles into consultation in a bid to restructure its business.

White Stuff said in November it was reviewing ways on how to improve its business model, and a structure change within its customer team is expected to impact its creative and marketing team.

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