Sports Direct offers staff switch from ‘zero hours’ contracts

Britain’s Sports Direct has said that it would offer directly employed shop workers the option of switching from so-called zero-hours contracts to ones with a guaranteed minimum amount of work, as part of a drive to improve working practices.

The announcement came after the retailer published the results of an independent review that identified “serious shortcomings” in practices at its warehouse in Shirebrook, central England, where it employs thousands of agency workers.

The company, founded and controlled by billionaire Mike Ashley, apologised for the shortcomings and said it was already taking steps to make improvements and would act on other recommendations.