A MAJOR health and beauty retailer is set to shut more stores following its string of already announced closures.
Boots branches have been earmarked for closing in Barrow-in-Furness and Teignbridge, local reports claim.
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Boots on Portland Walk, Barrow, is one of two claimed to be closing in the near future, The Mail in South Cumbria reports.
The future of the pharmacy outlets across Teignbridge is also uncertain as its store in Gestridge Road had its closure confirmed, the Mid-Devon Advertiser reports.
The store, which is one of two in the area, the other located at Kingsteignton Retail Park, is to close in February of next year.
Local media understands that staff affected by the closure will be offered alternate roles within the business and no redundancies are planned.
It comes as the health and beauty giant has plans to close hundreds of its branches over the next year and a number have already pulled down their shutters.
Shops have shut in Manchester, London and Woking while more have been earmarked for closure since October.
Boots had announced plans to massively consolidate its portfolio of UK stores from 2,200 to 1,900.
The retailer first announced the move in June this year and in July revealed the first eight branches which would pull down their shutters.
The pharmacy chain is also closing 150 of its US branches.
In June, in its quarterly results, Boots said: “Evolving the store estate in this way allows Boots to concentrate its team members where they are needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores with the ambition of consistently delivering an excellent and reliable service in a fresh and up to date environment.”
A spokesperson for Boots previously told The Sun: “We can confirm that the stores listed are part of the Boots store consolidation programme previously announced.
“All team members from these stores will be offered alternative roles.”
Pharmacies across the UK have struggled for years due to cuts in government funding and the soaring cost of medicine.
A number of other retailers are struggling to keep stores open across the UK too.
The high street has suffered in recent years as consumers increasingly turn to online retail and away from physical branches.
Businesses have also been contending with increased energy and wage costs.
It has led to a number of high street retailers closing stores as they try to cut back on costs.
