Wilko collapse marks highest job losses since 2020

New data from the Centre for Retail Research reveals that with Wilko’s potential 12,500 job losses, the total number of high street job cuts since 2020 will exceed 100,000.

In 2022, over 17,000 jobs were lost at large and medium-sized retailers, including those at Wilko, though most of Wilko’s staff are not yet included in this count.

This year’s figure far surpasses the 6,732 job losses in 2021, 24,179 in 2021, and 53,364 in 2020 when the pandemic heavily impacted the retail sector.

When accounting for Wilko’s staff, over 101,000 retail jobs have been lost since 2020.

In the last three years, the retail industry has seen significant collapses like Debenhams and Arcadia, which owns Topshop.

Now, Wilko is the latest addition to this list, with all 400 of its stores slated to close next month, reminiscent of the retail failure seen with Woolworths.

While B&M and Poundland have acquired 122 of these stores, it remains uncertain if jobs will be preserved.

Poundland has stated that Wilko employees will have priority when applying for positions at the 71 stores it has purchased.