Warehouse Group to require Covid-19 vaccination
Friday, 12 November 2021
The Warehouse Group is proceeding with plans to require all staff to be fully vaccinated.
It had been consulting with staff across The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, Warehouse Stationery and Torpedo7 on the proposal and said the “vast majority” supported the idea.
From January 16, only people who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to work for the Warehouse Group.
The retail chain reported a 14.6 per cent drop in retail sales in the first quarter of the new financial year, compared to the same time last year. But online sales were $190 million, up 118.2 per cent on last year and just over 30 per cent of all sales.
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Group chief executive Nick Grayston said the ongoing disruption of Covid-19 and in particular the 10.5-week lockdown in Auckland affected sales.
“But trading is in line with our previous lockdown experiences.
“During lockdown, we have seen strong online momentum across the group with our customers moving swiftly to our digital channels to purchase the items they need to work from home, do remote schooling and manage from their homes,” he said.
“With the opening of our retail stores across Auckland as part of the level 3, step 2 … we are thrilled to welcome our customers back in store and anticipate significantly improved sales momentum. We are optimistic that pent-up customer demand will see good uplift in our November and December trading performance and 18 The Warehouse stores in Auckland will be operating extended trading hours to help us meet this.”
He said shops were well placed to meet peak Christmas and summer demand.
“We have had some concern about the growing domestic online delivery challenges and getting customers purchases out to them as we approach Christmas, as a result of the highly congested postal and courier networks. The opening of Auckland stores will relieve this pressure and will allow us to improve our online delivery promise to our customers who wish to shop remotely.”