Kuoni to terminate John Lewis partnership amid 'strategic review' of business

Kuoni has started a collective staff consultation after confirming the closure its John Lewis store outlets after 14 years as part of a company-wide "strategic review".

The operator has “decided to step away” from its John Lewis partnership and will close nine concessions and one pop-up at the end of September.

The company pledged to increase investment in its call centres, digital channels, its own network of stand-alone stores and travel agent partnerships as part of the review.

Kuoni announced that it will enter a collective consultation period with staff.   

An undisclosed number of affected employees will be “fully supported, including finding new opportunities within the business wherever possible”, according to the company. However, it confirmed it anticipated some roles would be at risk of redundancy.

Managing director Mark Duguid confirmed that he has advised all staff of the intention to enter into a collective consultation and employees will be fully supported throughout.    

He said: “These are never decisions we take lightly, we have a brilliant, talented team and we will take the time to talk through our proposals.   

“Our focus remains on creating amazing, tailor-made holidays around the world and looking after our customers from beginning to end.”  

Kuoni has provided tailor-made holidays for John Lewis customers since 2012 when it opened its first concession at the retailer’s Oxford Street store in London. 

Duguid added: “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved with John Lewis and the amazing worldwide experiences we have helped our customers enjoy.

“For our customers, there is no impact at all, they will continue to be looked after by our well-travelled team of experts and we’re managing a smooth handover. 

“Our priority now is supporting our teams to find alternative roles and continuing to provide unforgettable holidays for our customers, who will continue to benefit from all the expertise we have.”