350 additional job cuts at River Island

UK-based high street fashion brand River Island will cut 350 more jobs in store management and senior sales roles across its shops as part of a retail team restructure. This follows its announcement last month that it would make 250 head office staff redundant as a cost-cutting measure after the coronavirus pandemic triggered a fall in sales and footfall.

The decision would allow it to simplify its store management structures and better deliver its multichannel strategy, the company, which operates around 300 stores, said.

“We need to make sure we have the right structures in place to deliver our omnichannel strategy, and to continue to deliver the amazing River Island in-store experience that our customers know and love,” chief executive Will Kernan said in an internal memo to staff.

“We are now in the process of restructuring our retail teams by simplifying our store management structures. With a heavy heart, I can confirm that these changes will potentially impact up to 350 store management and senior sales roles…By making these changes, we will create a flatter management structure with a greater emphasis on customer service and a seamless experience whether online or in-store,” he was quoted as saying by UK media reports.