Threat to Wick's Argos store
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After fears over the future of Argos' Wick branch during the summer a fresh announcement could eventually seal its fate.
Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, which owns the catalogue retailer, announced today that it could cut around 3500 of its workforce as it looks to make a raft of changes across its stores.
Argos stores, including the branch in Wick, face an uncertain future as 150 standalone shops will be moved in to Sainsbury’s, reducing the number of standalone Argos stores to 100 over the next three years.
Chief executive Simon Roberts said it would deliver a “step change in efficiency” though reductions in its operating cost base.
The move is expected to reduce the grocer’s costs by £150 million by March 2024.
In total, the business said it will close around 420 Argos stores by March 2024 leaving the future of the Wick outlet in doubt as there is no Sainsbury's site in the area.
Sainsbury’s will also close its meat, fish and delicatessen counters to save at least £60 million in operating costs, as well as reducing food waste and energy consumption in stores.
The retailer said this would “better reflect customer demand and the way customers shop in our stores now and in the future”.
As part of the closures of its Argos stores and food counters, Sainsbury’s said it would “aim to find alternative roles for as many colleagues as possible”.
Mr Roberts added: "Covid-19 has accelerated a number of shifts in our industry.
"Investments over recent years in digital and technology have laid the foundations for us to flex and adapt quickly as customers needed to shop differently.
"Around 19 per cent of our sales were digital this time last year and nearly 40 per cent of our sales are digital today.
“While we are working hard to help feed the nation through the pandemic, we have also spent time thinking about how we deliver for our customers and our shareholders over the longer term,”
Elsewhere, Sainsbury’s said it will be investing in Habitat, which will become its main home and furniture brand across the supermarket and Argos.
Company states that Argos in Wick will reopen
