Taiwanese mall operator The Breeze will axe staff as part of what it describes as a “routine internal adjustment”.

Local media reports have suggested that as many as 30 per cent of staff at The Breeze’s 10 properties in Taipei – some 200–300 workers – could be laid off. The firm still intends on carrying through with current expansion plans, however, including the launch of an 11th mall in Nangang.

The Breeze’s business has been strongly affected by the coronavirus outbreak, which has hurt retail in Taiwan by causing a sharp drop in private consumption. The immediate outlook is a disappointment for the firm considering it had recorded a 40 per cent increase in revenues last year.

Taiwan has currently confirmed 18 cases of coronavirus.