H&M has reportedly confirmed it will close its Edinburgh call centre by the end of the year, with 150 jobs expected to be lost.
Workers at the fashion retailer were told in August about the proposed closure of the company's Waverley Gate office due to the building's lease expiring in 2025.
At the time H&M said increased competition, changes in customer behaviours and rises in operational costs were behind the reasoning for the closure of the site.
Staff said in August that a meeting where the potential redundancies were announced was over within five minutes, leaving those affected in shock.
The company held consultations with employees between September and November this year.
According to the BBC, H&M said the number of job losses had been reduced by people being offered alternative roles and others left finding employment elsewhere.
Operations in the call centre will cease on December 14 before the site closes in March 2025, according to reports.
Deputy First Minister and Economy Secretary, Kate Forbes, previously urged the company to avoid redundancies if they decided to close the centre and met with H&M management to discuss the decision.
A spokesperson for H&M said: “We constantly evaluate how we operate to ensure that we deliver on our goals and contribute to the overall success of the company.
“Having looked into the scope of our customer service set-up, increased competition in the market, our customers changing behaviours and expectations and operational costs, we have made the difficult decision to proceed with the proposed closure of our customer service site in Edinburgh by the end of the year.”
