B&M is facing allegations of boosting its Glassdoor rating, prompting an alert from the review site.
- Glassdoor detected aggressive attempts to alter B&M’s ratings.
- The alert signals users about possible manipulation in B&M’s ratings.
- B&M’s spokeswoman denies ongoing manipulation and mentions policy improvements.
- The retailer’s recent financial challenges coincide with these accusations.
B&M, a prominent discount retail chain, has been accused of attempting to artificially inflate its employee ratings on Glassdoor. This accusation has led to an alert being posted on B&M’s Glassdoor page, highlighting concerns over the integrity of the reviews linked to the company. Only when there are significant efforts to manipulate reviews does Glassdoor place such alerts, according to their policy.
The retail giant’s Glassdoor rating stands at 3.1 out of 5. In response to the alert, a B&M spokeswoman maintained that the company holds a zero-tolerance stance against fake review practices. She further assured that measures have been put in place to prevent such activities in the future, stating, “The banner appeared some years ago and we have implemented new policies and procedures to prevent such practices. We look forward to working with Glassdoor to have the banner removed.”
Despite these reassurances, B&M’s reputation is under scrutiny. The timing of these allegations coincides with B&M being removed from the UK’s FTSE 100, a list of the 100 most-capitalized companies on the London Stock Exchange. This happened after the company’s shares fell by 21% over the past three months.
In addition to the challenges with their public image, B&M reported a 1.8% drop in adjusted operating profits, totaling £258 million for the six months ending September 28. This decline is attributed to rising costs tied to their expansion in France and increased investment in the supply chain. These financial strains add a layer of complexity to the current accusations regarding their Glassdoor ratings.
The allegations against B&M highlight ongoing challenges for the retailer as it navigates both reputational issues and financial hurdles.
