Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/15/superdrug_3/
3 gives up (Super)drugs
Cuts down to 20 stores
Posted in Mobile, 15th January 2008 15:15 GMT
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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 [1], 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 [2] 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.