Loblaw cuts 500 jobs to boost e-commerce

Loblaw Co Ltd, the Canadian grocery retail chain will cut 500 jobs and reinvest savings to boost its digital and e-commerce services, Reuters reported on Monday.

The job cuts that began on Oct. 16 apply to executive and management positions, but not store-level employees, company spokesman Kevin Groh said. The cuts will affect 0.25 of the company’s workforce.

“The future is digital and that’s not lost on us, the need to make significant investment in omni-channel and e-commerce,” Groh said, but did not reveal how much the company would save.

This is the latest spate of job cuts in the Canadian retail industry. Sears Canada recently was allowed to start liquidation by courts, cutting 12,000 jobs.

Last week, Metro Inc announced it will eliminate about 280 jobs starting in 2021 as part of a $400-million overhaul of its Ontario distribution network.