Poundland - Official Statement

[MN2025]

Someone I know who works for Poundland has sent me this statement.

At least not 200 stores closing as initially thought, but still unnerving for those that are going through redundancy.

A retailer that was top of their game just 2 years ago - crazy to see the demise of an iconic business.

Hopefully these swift changes can save the business.

Never shopped there- I figure they are a poor man's home bargains who seemed to have this market nailed ( in terms of store ambiance and stock rather than prices).

Agree re Home Bargains being a great retail experience. Poundland lost its way some years ago. I can’t stand our local shop. You used to be able to pop in to get one thing but now you are forced to walk the whole way round the shop to get to the tills. I don’t bother any more.

I can't read the statement - the type is too small so I have no clue what it says.
Anyway....my thoughts -
They should have changed their name to Pepco like their European stores and become a "discount" retailer like B+M/Home Bargains/One Beyond etc rather than still acting like a "poundshop".
The Pepco branded products are reasonably good quality and I am disappointed I won't be able to buy some of them now.
People kept whinging that "hardly anything there costs £1 now" - but they couldn't keep that concept unless they sold really poor quality products.
Three of my nearest branches have already closed. One I used several times a week and it's actually a pain in the bum not being there any more.

This isn’t the point but that statement doesn’t look like
it’s meant to be shared with the public.
If I shared something internal from work my job would be on the line.

Their job is on the line anyway OP. Having been in a similar situation, I strongly suspect they couldn't give a fuck anymore.

Can't read the statement,too small but when you enlarge it,it becomes blurred. I will be sorry to see them go as I get quite a lot of my home cleaning supplies in there,plus cheap drinks.

They ‘fell off’ years ago when they started charging over £1.

I once worked in a new Poundland store when I was about 18. It had just opened back when everything was still £1 and people would spend a fortune in there because £1 felt like a great deal.

When I pop into stores now they are always messy and look run down and nobody seems to have more than a couple of items in their hand. Cheaper to go to Home Bargains.

@babystarsandmoon that's the problem - they couldn't keep everything being £1 because the quality would have got worse and worse.
I have no problem paying more than £1 for ordinary reasonable quality household items.
If I was going to buy something like a storage tub or vase I wouldn't want one that's only £1 because it will be cheap rubbish.

They were too expensive in the end. Home Bargains and B&M were much cheaper than poundland in the end. The store experience was dismal as well.

The main difference (in London at least) is Home Bargains/B+M tend to be on big retail parks but Poundland was likely to be on a "high street" so much more accessible.
I would drop my daughter off at school and a Poundland was two minutes walk away - pretty much like there's a Tesco Express/Sainsbury's Local on almost every street.
So much more convenient.
I spent almost £20 in Poundland today - a branch that thankfully doesn't seem to be on the closure list and it was very busy so hopefully it will stay that way.

If you’ve never shopped there, how can you compare? I’m not saying you’re wrong but I am curious. No Home Bargains in my City so I don’t know.

I actually just checked on Google - there's only 6 branches of Home Bargains in London (including Orpington which some may argue is actually Kent) and about 12 B+M Stores.
We NEED our Poundlands 😭 (in London 😁)
(Poundstretchers and One Beyond are ok ish but I like Poundland better).
@Nightshadesdown how could you have never shopped in one?
Where do you go if you're on holiday or something and need replacement phone charging cables, drinks and some crayons for the kids?

I used Poundland a lot when it was on the high street but now it's on the same retail park as Home Bargains I don't go there.

I don't agree that they were on top of their game two years ago, I think they've been going downhill for a while. Home Bargains and B & M are attractive and fun to shop in, but our Poundland has been gloomy and claustrophobic for a while now. It's sad, but not too surprising really.

Not sure that missive was supposed to be shared but hey ho. Personally I couldn't tell the difference between Poundstretcher and Poundland. I would always go for B&M and Home Bargains in preference. I'm sure I can't be the only one choosing not to shop there so this could be the reason they've gone dowhill.

It was always going to die a death when it stopped being a pound shop. I remember when our first one opened I only wanted to look and yet just kept putting things in my trolly because oh well it’s only £1.

Then prices went up and then B&m came and ooo shiney booo not a Poundland. Then home bargains opened and now I don’t go to Poundland or B&m.