SINGAPORE, June 24 -- Regional e-commerce heavyweight Lazada will retrench 5 per cent of its Southeast Asian workforce, including in Singapore, as the company pivots toward a leaner operational model.

A Lazada spokesperson confirmed on June 23 that the company is "reviewing selected roles across South-east Asia," adding that affected staff will be engaged with "care, respect and dignity," The Straits Times reported.

The move signals a broader cooling period for the region's digital economy. This follows a string of cuts by rivals, including Shopee's global developer layoffs earlier this month and Amazon's shift in Singapore from local grocery fulfilment to international shipping.

According to Derrick Teo, CEO of manpower consultancy El...