UK supermarket chain Morrisons has announced that it is cutting around 1,500 store management jobs, and creating 1,700 more junior positions.
This makes it the fourth grocery retailer in the country to announce a staffing overhaul since the beginning of the year.
Last week both Tesco and Sainsbury's revealed plans to cut thousands of jobs, while Marks & Spencer announced yesterday that it plans to close up to 14 stores, affecting around 500 employees.
Morrisons' move will see the position of warehouse manager removed from all of its stores, while adding more checkout staff and shelf-stackers.
“Our aim is to serve customers better with more front-line colleagues in stores improving product availability and helping customers at the checkouts," said Gary Mills, Morrisons' retail director.
"Very regrettably, there will be a period of uncertainty for some managers affected by these proposals and we’ll be supporting them through this important process," he added. "Our commitment is to redeploy as many affected colleagues as possible.”
Grocery Growth
This restructuring plan comes only weeks after the grocer reported strong Christmas and New Year trading, with sales up 2.8% in the ten week period to 7 January.
“More and more customers found more things they wanted to buy at competitive prices at Morrisons this Christmas,” Morrisons chief executive David Potts said last month.
“The hard work and friendliness of our colleagues continues to be key in delivering our strengthening performance, and I would like to thank them for everything they do for our customers.”
In spite of this growth, however, the UK's retailers are coming under pressure from intense competition and wage increases.
All of the country's 'big four' supermarket companies have now announced plans to cut jobs and restructure operations.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
