De Bijenkorf scraps 64 jobs at Amsterdam headquarters and 37 manager positions in stores

Department store chain De Bijenkorf is cutting 64 jobs at its head office in Amsterdam. Last week, the chain announced it would cut 37 managerial jobs in its stores.

The company said the reorganization is needed “given the challenging retail environment.” De Bijenkorf wants to save costs by working with fewer managers and merging several departments at its head office.

“De Bijenkorf is committed to helping with the consequences for the employees involved with a social plan,” the company said on Wednesday.

When publishing its 2022 figures last month, Bijenkorf said it was struggling with increased costs of energy, transport, packaging, and personnel, NOS reports. The company said it made a “very modest” operating profit of 2.8 million euros last year.

“Consumers are increasingly keeping their hands on their purse strings,” Bijenkorf CEO Giovanni Colauto said at the presentation.