Boots to shutter opticians stores

Boots has revealed plans to reduce its UK workforce by 7 per cent. This will impact around 4000 staff members. It is also set to permanently close 48 branches of Boots Opticians and has commenced a consultation process with all affected staff across the business.

Its retail sales fell by 48 per cent during its 3rd quarter, which straddled the national lockdown period, despite it having kept significant numbers of its stores open to dispense prescriptions and sell essential personal care products. Stores in travel locations were closed along with its larger stores in city centres where footfall had been decimated.