Fin24 reports that Pick n Pay has embarked on a retrenchment process that could affect up to 700 junior management jobs.

The retailer confirmed on Monday it was in the early stages of a retrenchment programme, which is currently before the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. David North, chief business transformation officer at Pick n Pay, indicated that the retailer could not release any numbers on potential job losses as it was still consulting with staff, but up to 700 junior manager jobs could apparently be affected. Pick n Pay has some 90,000 employees. North said the company was "modernising" its store management structures, removing roles which were no longer required. "But we are also creating new roles that provide greater service and flexibility in our stores. While some roles will no longer be required, others will be created. Overall more jobs will be created in stores than exist at present. If staff are prepared to be flexible about [their] roles, then there may well be jobs for them and there will be more jobs overall than there were at the beginning of the process,” North pointed out. Separately, the company is in the process of a voluntary severance programme, which North said Pick n Pay had in recent years undertaken every two to three years and was "not to be confused" with the retrenchment process. North could not give any numbers on staff who had asked to take voluntary retrenchment packages, adding that applications had only just closed.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nick Wilson at Fin24

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