3 is pulling concessions out of 107 Superdrug stores in the UK, leaving only 20 in place, citing the increase in their own stores as the reason behind the cuts.

3 moved into Superdrug back in 2003, thanks to them becoming siblings when the high-street drug dealer was bought by Hutchinson Whampoa in 2002. That put 3 into 60 Superdrug stores, at a time when the network desperately needed a high-street presence, though in some that presence was little more than a section of shelf space.

Since then 3 has been busy creating their own retail chain, including relieving O2 of its excess inventory of Link stores and opening many of their own. Even with the closure of 107 concessions the company has 270 shops of their own, as well as 6 concessions in HMV and the 20 they're keeping in Superdrug.

The move will lead to some redundancies, though most staff are expected to be offered work elsewhere in 3.

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