Pret A Manger to cut staff hours in coronavirus restructuring
Pret A Manger has asked thousands of its staff to work fewer hours, as the lunch chain restructures its business after the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff will work 20 per cent fewer hours on average, as footfall remains low.
It follows an announcement by Pret last month that it would be closing 30 outlets and cutting about 1,000 jobs across its business.
“Our biggest priority is to do everything we can to save jobs,” a Pret spokeswoman said.
“With footfall in our shops still significantly below normal levels, we have had to review the hours team members are contracted to work each week – although of course we hope to increase these hours as trade improves.
“By making these changes we are able to save a large number of roles.”
Pret said 339 of its 410 UK shops have so far reopened with reduced opening hours, after the government began easing lockdown restrictions across the country.
The firm runs 550 outlets with 13,000 staff globally, including 8,000 people in the UK.
Trade across the country is understood to be down by 65 per cent since lockdown rules came into force in late March.
In Canada, one of Pret’s top regions, business has fallen by 80 per cent.