John Lewis to Close Foreign Exchange Desks in 30 Stores and Gift Wrapping in 25, Consulting on 200 Job Cuts

John Lewis plans to close foreign exchange desks in 30 of its stores and specialist gift wrapping services in 25 stores this autumn. The 36-strong department store chain has begun a consultation on redundancies affecting 200 jobs. A John Lewis spokesperson said customers are increasingly buying currencies online for home delivery or in-store collection.

The company is proposing to close the in-store bureaus and gift wrapping service to modernize operations around changing customer needs. The spokesperson added that the firm is consulting with affected partners and will support redeployment where possible. Customer service desk areas would be repurposed for other uses if the closures proceed.

John Lewis said the vast majority of customer queries are already handled by shop floor assistants. The chain came second in the UK Customer Satisfaction Index behind Nationwide, according to the Institute of Customer Service. In March the John Lewis Partnership said it would seek further efficiency measures this year, including greater use of electronic shelf labels and AI.

Last year the partnership cut 3,300 jobs, reducing its total workforce to 65,700, with about 1,500 of those cuts from John Lewis department stores. The company paid workers a bonus equivalent to 2 percent of salary in March for the first time in four years after underlying profits rose 6 percent.