Boots has today confirmed plans to close around 200 of its stores, the latest retailer to be hit by the consumer downturn.
The Notts-headquartered health and beauty retail giant said it was adapting to changing shopping habits and offloading "loss-making" shops, around two-thirds of which are within walking distance of other Boots stores.
Boots 海角视频 managing director Sebastian James said he hoped most staff affected would be moved to other stores.
Last month Boots reported that declining sales and the highly competitive sector had resulted in a 20 per cent drop in pre-tax profits to £398 million in the year to August 31, 2018.
Sales slipped 2.3 per cent to £6.8 billion.
Boots has previously said it was getting rid of more than 350 jobs at its head office in Nottingham.
Parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), has said that sales within its retail pharmacy division, which includes Boots, were down by 7.3 percent in the three months to the end of May.
The company said around 200 stores will be affected in the next 18 months, but could not confirm which will close and where.
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Sebastian James said: "WBA has now approved an outline plan to consolidate around 200, principally local pharmacy, stores where we have a large number within close proximity.
"We believe this is the right thing to do as it means that we can invest more in staffing those stores while not reducing our 90 percent coverage within a 10-minute drive of a Boots.
"We do not anticipate a significant effect from this activity to colleagues as we will redeploy the overwhelming majority to neighbouring stores.
"At the same time, we continue to open new stores where we believe there are communities that would benefit from a new Boots - for example the new Covent Garden flagship (creating 130 new jobs) which opened yesterday."
"There’s no doubt that trading conditions are tough on the high street and health care and retail are facing a challenging reality.
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"Boots is not immune to these pressures, however we have a remarkable brand and I am continually amazed by the extraordinary deep love and respect people have for Boots.
"We’re still a very successful company with a phenomenal presence in the 海角视频 but we need to take some tough decisions to transform the fundamentals of our business, building on our 170-year legacy, to ensure our future growth.
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"We’re transforming the experience for customers when they shop with us and our focus is on making our stores and online offer even more differentiated and personalised, with the best brands at the best value.
"We’re working very hard through these plans and I’m excited about what this means for the future of Boots.
"We have the number one health and beauty website, the most popular 海角视频 loyalty scheme and the most trusted pharmacy, second only to the NHS.
"And we have amazing and compassionate colleagues who work hard every day. What we’re doing today is about ensuring our future success."