Described by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as a model of "responsible capitalism", John Lewis' shifting focus towards online sales has seen 325 staff in varying managerial positions made redundant.
Alongside the wide-ranging redundancies at high-street names Blockbuster, Jessops and HMV, the surprise move to cut jobs at the seemingly-stable John Lewis was met with some disappointment by analysts. However, the company insist that the cuts were merely collateral moves to begin the transition towards an online-focused store - something HMV summarily failed to do.


“As part of our plans for future growth, we are proposing to streamline management structures in some of our established shops,” said a statement from the company.
“What we are doing is anticipating how the retail market is changing and ensuring our shop model is competitive for the long term. Otherwise, we will end up in a position that some of our competitors are reflecting.”

John Lewis' 'Retail Revolution' marketing initiative, exampled here, is a potentially savvy move to appeal to UK consumers that spend millions daily shopping online. John Lewis' 28 outlets regularly promote their online brand and the advantages of shopping online, even encouraging their customers to complete online orders in-store. If cutting on-the-ground staff in favour of online measures to avoid another HMV-sized collapse, then these harsh redundancies will feel worthwhile as the squeezed retail sector attempts to get back on its feet.