Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnonThe chair of The Warehouse Group has defended the company's decisions to claim $67.8 million through the government's wage subsidy scheme and to lay off hundreds of staff and cut back hours for others. As early as June the prime minister said she was "angry" at the company pushing on with the restructuring while receiving the wage subsidy. "On average the wage subsidy equated to around 55 percent of our normal wage and salary expense over the period to which the subsidy applied." Year-on-year retail sales for The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery stores were flat, although both saw massive boosts for online and click and collect sales. Online sales make up just over 11 percent of the Group's total sales.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 14, 2020 21:45 UTC