Chilean Falabella announces closure of up to 10% of its stores in 3 countries

chain store Falabella announced on Monday the closure of up to 10% of its stores in Chile, Colombia and Peru, as part of a gradual restructuring process that will take place over the next five years.

“We estimate that in the next five years we are going to reduce our department stores by 5% to 10% as part of a gradual process, which does not consider massive closures,” the Chilean retail company said in a statement.

The closure of stores, which will take place in the three countries, occurs within the framework of a review process of “each store’s contribution to our value proposition and based on customer needs,” according to the company. , one of the largest retailers in the region.

With this measure, the company seeks to privilege its online sales channel, which began operating in the year 2000 and which to date adds 2.7 million daily visits.

Falabella currently has 103 stores in Chile, Peru y Colombiawhich employ some 29,000 people.

In its statement, the company does not consider jobs eventually affected by the decision.

In 2021, the Chilean firm closed its stores in Argentina as well as its electronic sales platform, in the midst of the crisis caused by the pandemic.

This year Falabella finalized a strategic agreement for the arrival in Chile of the Swedish furniture and home equipment firm Ikea, the firm’s first store in South America, where it hopes to expand to Peru and Colombia.