John Lewis Partnership will reduce its workforce by up to 11,000 workers over the coming five years, reports revealed.
Known for its partnership model where employees are owners of the company, the retailer is predicted to cut at least 10% of its current staff strength as it attempts to return to profitability.
John Lewis, which also owns Waitrose, employs approximately 76,000 workers.
The job cuts are expected to be a mix of direct redundancies and the closing of existing vacant positions.
A John Lewis spokesperson told the BBC it “has a plan to return to profit, which involves investing heavily to enhance our customer offer, technology, stores and becoming more efficient.
"This is working and performance is improving, but as we have already announced, that sadly means reducing the number of Partners we need in our business.
"It would be inappropriate to discuss details and our Partners will be the first to know about any changes."
John Lewis's financial challenges have been well documented since it reported a significant loss of £234 million in March 2023, marking its second-ever full-year loss.
It led to the closure of several stores and the elimination of the annual staff bonus, underscoring the impact of inflation and rising costs in labour, energy and freight.
Last week, John Lewis adjusted its redundancy package, moving from two weeks of pay per year of service to one, sparking discontent among its workforce.
Some have called for an emergency meeting of the partnership council to address concerns, especially regarding the perceived disparity in treatment between staff and departing senior executives, reports revealed.