The latest proposals would see bureau de change counters closed in about 30 department stores and dedicated gift‑wrapping stations removed in a further 25 locations, with consultations now under way with affected staff. John Lewis has said around 200 partners are impacted by the move, although it has yet to confirm how many roles will ultimately be made redundant and has pledged to seek redeployment opportunities where possible.
A spokesperson framed the decision as part of efforts to “modernise” services in line with changing customer behaviour, noting that demand for in‑store foreign currency and traditional gift‑wrapping has declined as shoppers increasingly opt for digital and self‑service options. The changes, slated for introduction in the autumn, are another sign that legacy service counters – once a hallmark of the department store experience – are being stripped out to free up space and reduce operating costs.
The move comes against a backdrop of multi‑year restructuring at the John Lewis Partnership, which has been hunting for savings and ways to restore profitability after a series of loss‑making years. The group has previously outlined plans that could see up to 11,000 roles removed over five years through a mix of redundancies and not replacing vacant positions, as it targets hundreds of millions of pounds in cost reductions by the late 2020s.
Store closures, head‑office cuts and the outsourcing of customer service roles to overseas call centres have already reshaped the business and reduced UK‑based employment. At the same time, the partnership has repeatedly scrapped its once‑celebrated annual staff bonus, arguing it must prioritise long‑term investment over short‑term payouts as it adapts to a tougher retail climate and the shift to online shopping.
For partners working on foreign exchange and gift‑wrapping desks, the consultation period brings renewed uncertainty after successive waves of restructuring across the partnership. John Lewis insists it will look to redeploy staff into other roles and that some job losses may be mitigated through natural attrition, but many affected workers fear the end of specialist in‑store services that have been part of the brand’s identity for years.
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A spokesperson said: “Our customers are increasingly buying the broad range of currencies we offer online, and enjoying the convenience of having this delivered directly to their home or collecting it at one of our shops.”
“As we focus on modernising this proposition to meet our customers’ changing needs, we’re proposing to close our in-store foreign exchange bureaux as well as our gift wrapping service. As a result, we’re regretfully consulting with partners who currently deliver these services.”
Customers, meanwhile, are likely to notice the disappearance of services that once differentiated John Lewis from more pared‑back rivals, particularly at peak trading times such as Christmas, when gift‑wrapping counters were a popular convenience. Management is betting that streamlined operations, a sharper focus on core retailing and investment in digital propositions will ultimately outweigh the loss of these extras, but critics warn that chipping away at the traditional department store experience risks eroding the emotional connection that has underpinned the brand’s appeal.
