Shiseido unveils plan for 1,500 voluntary departures in Japan

Shiseido, the leading Japanese cosmetics brand, unveiled on Thursday a comprehensive transformation initiative for its Japanese operations, earmarking 1,500 voluntary departures this year, accounting for nearly 4% of its global workforce.

Only Shiseido employees meeting specific age and career duration criteria will be eligible for this early retirement program, as outlined in a statement. The group also aims to support those seeking to re-enter the workforce.

Eligibility for this early retirement scheme is reserved for Shiseido employees meeting stringent age and tenure criteria, as outlined in an official announcement. The group is committed to facilitating the professional reintegration of those who opt for this pathway.

Shiseido is also aiming to enhance its online retail presence in Japan, with the aspiration to elevate this channel to contribute 30% of its domestic sales, compared to the current modest figure of just over 10%.

Furthermore, the group is intent on optimising its cost structure by reducing its sales expenditures, marketing expenses, and other overhead costs in the Japanese market, while “focusing its endeavours on brands, products, and retail outlets with high growth and profitability potential.”

Shiseido confronted formidable headwinds in 2023 due to declining sales in key markets such as China and in the travel retail segment, which is facing disruption in Asia due to regulatory stringency in China and South Korea.

Looking ahead to the forthcoming fiscal year, the corporation anticipates a modest 1.1% uptick in net profit to 22 billion yen (equivalent to approximately 136.7 million euros at current exchange rates), alongside a 2.8% resurgence in revenue to 1 trillion yen (approximately 6.2 billion euros), according to the financial results disclosed in early February.