Pret cuts staff hours by 20%

Last month, the sandwich chain revealed that it was planning to close 30 of its 410 UK sites​​, and cut up to 1,000 jobs as trade continued to suffer across the group.

Consultations are ongoing between the business and the affected employees positioned in the shops set to close.

Pret said it had seen sales plummet as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, with takings down 74% in June when compared with the same time last year.

In a bid to retain as many staff as possible, workers have now been asked to work approximately 20% fewer hours than before the pandemic, with the majority of Pret’s reopened stores now running on significantly reduced operating hours.

A Pret spokeswoman said: “Our biggest priority is to do everything we can to save jobs.

“With footfall in our shops still significantly below normal levels, we have had to review the hours team members are contracted to work each week, although of course we hope to increase these hours as trade improves.

“By making these changes we are able to save a large number of roles.”

More than 300 sites in Pret's estate have so far reopened, after all were closed back in March following the shutdown of the hospitality sector.