The future of five Godfreys stores across Tasmania remains uncertain following the collapse of the vacuum cleaner company.
The vacuum giant entered voluntary administration on Tuesday, blaming its struggles on reduced customer demand and rising costs.
Administrators from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) say the business will undergo a restructuring in the upcoming weeks, which will result in the closure of 54 Godfreys stores and affect 193 jobs in Australia and New Zealand.
“Like many retailers, Godfreys has faced a challenging economic and operating environment,” Administrator Craig Crosbie said in a statement.
“Lower customer demand amid cost-of-living pressures, higher operating costs and increased competition have all taken a toll on profitability, with some stores more impacted than others.”
Godfreys is one of the world’s largest vacuum cleaner retailers, with 141 stores and over 600 staff members at the time of the announcement.
In southern Tasmania, the business operates stores in Derwent Park and the Homemaker Centre in Cambridge, as well as outlets in Launceston, Devonport and Burnie.
