Altice's SFR to cut up to 11% of staff in France in 2021

Logos of French telecoms operator SFR are pictured on a shop in Niort, France, March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

Altice Europe's French telecoms operator SFR plans to could cut up to 1,700 jobs or about 11% of its staff this year in France, it said on Wednesday.

SFR said the departures would be on a voluntary basis. "These departures would take place in 2021," SFR said in a statement.

The job cuts are part of SFR's new strategic plan that takes into account new digitalisation habits which have resulted in a 30% drop in the number of clients visiting its shops.

The logo of French telecoms operator SFR is pictured on a shop in Niort, France, March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

The telecoms operator said it was holding talks with staff representatives over the planned job cuts.

(Reporting by Matthieu Protard; Editing by David Clarke)

FILE PHOTO: oks at a closed SFR shop during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mulhouse, France March 12, 2020. Picture taken March 12, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse