Next to restructure store management in Northern Ireland

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 20, 2018

Next is shaking up its store management structure across Northern Ireland, where it has 25 stores, as part of a wider effort to transform the business for the digital age.

The national clothing chain said the move will affect over 50 roles at its Northern Ireland branches, but there will be no job losses, reported Belfast Telegraph on Monday.

“The change will be achieved through the non-replacement of leavers (i.e. by natural wastage) and not through redundancy,” said a spokesperson for the firm.

“To reiterate - no management/supervisory roles in trading Next stores are under threat of redundancy, which should reassure those involved.”

The company didn’t say exactly how many in-store jobs it plans to cut, but the move is expected to deliver increased efficiency savings amid tough times on the high street.

In May, Next revealed sales in its retail stores fell by 4.8% in the first quarter, while sales in its online business increased by 18%.

Significant overheads, including increased business rates and higher national minimum wage, are making it difficult for retailers to continue operating large-scale store estates in the face of growing online demand.

Next said earlier this year that it would demand rent cuts from landlords when renegotiating leases in a bid to level the playing field following the recent wave of CVAs.