John Lewis has shed 3,800 roles in the past year in efforts to reduce costs across stores, according to new filings.
The number of workers for the John Lewis Partnership fell to 70,500 at the end of January, from 74,300 the previous year, The Telegraph reported.
The job losses were largely down to attrition across the company, with bosses choosing not to replace workers who left the business.
The losses coincided with the retailer saving roughly £26m in employment costs during the year, while its finances were also aided by its decision not to pay workers a bonus last year.
The majority of changes during the past year occurred in Waitrose shops, with an average of 49,600 staff working in the supermarkets during the year to the end of January, from an average of 52,700 the year before.
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John Lewis has indicated it is looking to reduce staff numbers by around 11,000 over the next five years through natural attrition and redundancies.
A JLP spokesperson told Retail Gazette: “The reduction in roles has been largely through natural turnover.
“We’ve made significant progress in the last year to transform the business and return it to profitability; we’re investing record amounts in our retail brands and we expect profits to grow further next year.
“Our improved performance has been supported by our customers’ love for John Lewis and Waitrose, with an increasing number embracing our Partner-led service.”
The news comes after Waitrose was accused of lowering redundancy payouts for warehouse workers already at risk of losing their jobs earlier this week.
The supermarket came under fire for offering affected staff a reduced redundancy package after proposing a higher payout back in January.
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