Hospitality sector losing up to £37m in unreturned uniforms

As hospitality is an industry that employs large numbers of temporary staff and has higher turnover rates than others, it is particularly vulnerable in this area, so profits could be better protected by checking what uniforms are going out and then coming back in again, suggests Alexandra managing director Martin Lyne.

“Identifying all areas of potential loss is essential to understanding where companies need to make cuts,” he said. “Unfortunately, among the many costs and difficult decisions facing businesses at the moment, workwear losses have seemed unimportant, either due to lack of awareness of the value involved, or because it is a burden upon time and resources.”

Simple steps​

The figure has been calculated using the average workwear cost per person within the industry compared with the latest figures on total sector employment from the ONS and total sector turnover from the CIPD.

It could be reduced dramatically by firms reviewing their procurement spend and taking ‘simple steps’ to recovering chefs whites, aprons, ties, waistcoats and other items of workwear from staff at the end of their contracts, says Lyne.

He said: “Although losses being caused by workwear wastage are significant, businesses can protect themselves by implementing a simple, conscientious uniform policy. Being more active about getting workwear and equipment back from workers is a small time investment that will pay dividends in the long run.”