Fashion retailer Next is planning job cuts next year.
The company, which had more than 39,000 full-time equivalent staff last year, is planning the move as it prepares for a bleak year ahead, according to the Observer newspaper.
There are no details on whether Next’s Irish outlets will be affected.
British high street trading has been hit by faltering consumer confidence, but Next is also bracing itself for higher clothing import costs due to sterling’s current weakness.
The job cuts are likely to affect those in support roles rather than its stores, the newspaper said, although the company was unavailable for comment.
The news adds to a week of gloom with thousands of jobs set to go at several major companies including BT, Vodafone and housebuilder Taylor Wimpey as the UK sinks into recession. Unemployment has already hit an 11-year high above 1.8 million, official figures showed.
Next's like-for-like sales fell 4.4% in the 14 weeks to November and the group expects a further decline during 2009.
While lower interest rates and falling fuel and food bills could give customers more discretionary cash to spend on clothes, the group expects rising unemployment and falling house prices to reduce earnings and encourage people to save more.
