The retailer will cut 750 jobs from its 5,000-strong staff across all areas of the business – including its head office, stores and one of its two distribution centres, at Severnside in Bristol, which is to close.
“The environment that we are working in is changing very quickly and we believe that 2009 will be very tough,” said Focus chief executive Bill Grimsey.
“This is about good management and cutting our cloth according to our means in anticipation of a storm ahead. And make no mistake: it is going to be a stormy ride.”
Decisions on which of Focus’s 181 stores will suffer staff cuts will be made on a case by case basis. The retailer’s business systems director Steve Cosgrave and head of human resources Shelley Thomas have also both left.
At the end of this month, Focus will launch a lower price point branded proposition with the aim of establishing its credentials as a value retailer. Grimsey would not reveal details of the range, but it will be backed by a national ad campaign.
“We are conscious that the same old ads that the DIY retailers put out every week is just not going to wash with shoppers, so this will be different,” he said.
On Monday, Focus launched a value-based campaign tagged “affordable DIY at Focus DIY”, which gives a multiple purchase offer on fitted kitchens and home improvement projects. The new lower priced range will run on individual products.
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