South Africa's SPAR announces voluntary job cuts to improve costs

JOHANNESBURG, March 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's SPAR Group SPPJ.J said on Tuesday that it will launch a voluntary severance programme in selected parts of its business as the retailer pushes ahead with efforts to improve costs and sharpen competitiveness.

• The initiative forms part of a wider operational reset aimed at aligning the company's cost structure with softer trading conditions.

• The programme is voluntary and will not affect its network of independent store owners or the services it provides to them.

• SPAR did not share targeted number of job cuts.