Image: Dixons Carphone
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Currys PC World and Carphone Warehouse will shut their stores for the foreseeable future.
Almost 100 Currys PC World and Carphone Warehouse stores will temporarily close across the country in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
In a statement, Dixons Carphone Ireland interim managing director, Seamus McCormack, said that the “health and safety of our 1,100 colleagues and our customers is our top priority”.
The company is closing its 16 Currys PC World and 82 Carphone Warehouse stores across Ireland from today (24 March) until further notice to play a part in “safeguarding public health”. However, the business will continue to sell products online for home delivery.
“We would like to thank our customers and our colleagues for their support, and we look forward to opening our stores again soon,” Dixons Carphone added.
Earlier this month, Carphone Warehouse announced that 3,000 jobs are to be lost as it plans to shut 531 standalone UK stores. At the time, it said the decision was unrelated to the coronavirus outbreak, but due to changing consumer demand.
‘We now must use common sense’
This latest closure in Ireland comes as the trade group Retail Excellence urged shops to follow an expected announcement from the Government that will see the closure of all non-essential retail and commerce for the duration of the pandemic.
“Non-essential retailers such as consumer electronics will continue online but might have a phone number available to provide an emergency order and curb side delivery service of an essential item, such as a cooker or fridge to an elderly member of society,” the organisation said
“We now must use common sense. Grocery retailers with multiple departments should shut all textiles, clothing and homeware departments and prioritise food. Other essential retailers might curtail certain categories such as a supermarket closing ice-cream counters.”
Retail Excellence said that online activity for stores will continue as normal. However, it added that people will need to be patient for the duration of the pandemic.
“There has been a significant increase in online shopping demand and thus fulfilment and delivery is taking longer than normal,” it said.
