UK — John Lewis has initiated consultations regarding the closure of bureau de change services in 30 stores and specialist gift wrapping services in 25 stores. These proposed closures could affect 200 jobs. A final decision on the closures has not yet been made, and if confirmed, they are expected to be implemented in autumn 2024.

The company has begun a consultation process concerning potential redundancies as a result of these proposed changes. A John Lewis spokesperson stated that the move is driven by an effort to modernize services and meet evolving customer needs. "Our customers are increasingly buying the broad range of currencies we offer online, and enjoying the convenience of having this delivered directly to their home or collecting it at one of our shops," a John Lewis spokesperson said. He added, "As we focus on modernising this proposition to meet our customers' changing needs, we're proposing to close our in-store foreign exchange bureaux as well as our gift wrapping service."

The spokesperson noted that the decision was not made lightly. "This isn't a decision we've taken lightly, and we will support impacted partners throughout the consultation process and support redeployment where possible," the spokesperson said. He added that the company would support affected employees throughout the consultation period and aim for redeployment where possible. If the plans are confirmed, customers will retain the option to order currency online, with choices for home delivery or in-store pickup.

John Lewis operates a total of 36 department stores. A staff member expressed concern about the potential closures, stating, "They are removing the area of the shop that John Lewis claims they stand for." The company has indicated that customer service desk areas could be repurposed for other uses if the closures proceed. John Lewis also stated that the vast majority of customer queries were already handled by shop floor assistants, who would continue this role if the proposed changes go forward.

The John Lewis Partnership, which also operates Waitrose supermarkets, announced in March that it would continue seeking ways to operate more efficiently this year. The company mentioned exploring the use of more electronic shelf labels and artificial intelligence to boost efficiency. In 2023, the John Lewis Partnership cut 3,300 jobs from its total workforce of 65,700, with approximately 1,500 of those reductions occurring within John Lewis department stores. In March, the company paid an annual bonus equivalent to 2% of salary to its workers, including the chair, which marked the first time in four years it had issued such a bonus, as underlying profits rose by 6%.