Online retail giant Boohoo announces 5,000 jobs in Manchester and Burnley over next five years

  • Rob Smith talks to Leader of Burnley Council Afrasiab Anwar about Boohoo's plans.

The online retail giant Boohoo has announced plans to create thousands of jobs in the North West over the next five years.

The Manchester-based company, that is well-known for its celebrity endorsements, said positions will come from an investment programme of £500 million.

Around 5,000 Jobs are expected to be created at both its head office in Manchester and warehouse in Burnley.

Its plans include the purchase of additional warehouse space and tech to help its operations become more efficient.

It comes as Boohoo published a report into the economic impact of the business on the UK economy.

Credit: Boohoo

It found in the last year the company added £559.4 million to the UK economy, including more than 8,000 full-time jobs.

The business now accounts for 4.4% of the total UK clothing and footwear retail sector.

It comes after a difficult two years for Boohoo after it was revealed that some of its suppliers in Leicester had been operating in sweatshop conditions.

Fashion chains drop Boohoo brand over allegations of low pay and poor conditions

Some of the workers were reportedly paid below the minimum wage. Sustainability has also become a key talking point in the sector, with shoppers opting to keep items of clothing for longer and move away from so-called "throwaway fashion".

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Wake Up To Money podcast, chief executive John Lyttle said sustainability will take several years to achieve.

He said: "We're trying make the journey as sustainable as possible... 20% of all our ranges will be sustainable this autumn... 40% next spring/summer."

He added: "They're not going to be fixed in six and 12 months... It's the same 2030 timeframe as combustible engines."

Molly-Mae Hague Credit: PA

The firm has snapped up a series of failed high street names in recent years, including Coast, Karen Millen, Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams.

Its success is partly down to targeting under-30s who follow social media influencers and prefer to buy clothes on their phones, working with Love Island stars Molly-Mae and Amber Gill.