Top Brands Making Redundancies In 2023
As we move further into 2023, news that major fashion and retail brands are making redundancies seems to be commonplace. For those working in e-commerce, fashion photography and retail marketing this is a significant concern as it may be a sign that spending in other areas such as marketing will slow.
In light of this, we’ve put together a breakdown of some of the major brands to announce cuts and redundancy plans so far in January 2023.
Boohoo plan to cut jobs within their Arcadia brands
The Boohoo Group rescued Burton, Wallis and Dorothy Perkins in 2020 at a cost of £25 million and it would appear the takeover hasn’t quite been the success they planned. Boohoo has announced they are preparing to reduce the headcount of staff working on these brands at their London office by approximately 100.
Job roles under threat include e-commerce, buying and design. As you would expect, this is a concern to those of us working in e-commerce fashion photography in London. With the consultation in progress, the final number of cuts or transfers of roles has not been confirmed.
Challenging conditions lead to Not On The High Street job cuts
As a result of the challenges that the e-commerce market is facing, Not On The High Street has announced they are considering making cuts to their staff. Their CEO Leanne Rothwell stated that thanks to their efforts in the past year to 18 months, the business is further along with its plan to build a more effective, modern brand.
With a current workforce of approximately 220 staff members, the business saw significant growth during the pandemic reaching £58 million in revenue for the lead leading up to the 31st March 2021. In the long term, the hope is that the market recovers and supply chain challenges recede, something people working in e-commerce fashion photography equally hope for.
Ted Baker plan to reduce head office headcount
Luxury brand Ted Baker has started a redundancy consultation, focusing on head office staff. This will cover approximately 30 roles within the merchandising and marketing departments. This move follows closely behind the recent purchase of the brand by Authentic Brands Group last October.
As is common with similar takeovers, it appears the owners are in the process of carrying out a strategic review but has stated that it will not impact staff at the Ted Baker stores. A representative explained that the current macroeconomic issues facing the UK have caused Ted Baker to need to protect the business and find a new path to future success.
Amazon proposes closing three warehouses
We end this article with an update on Amazon, which has announced plans to close three of its warehouses in the UK. This means potentially up to 1,200 jobs could be lost or transferred from sites in Hemel Hempstead, Gourock and Doncaster.
Whilst many members of staff will be offered roles at other locations, as well as Amazon announcing plans for new fulfilment centres creating 2,500 jobs this doesn’t represent good news for those working at the warehouses.
