Tesco announces 2,100 jobs at risk

The retail giant said it will axe all remaining food counters offering meat and fish as well as hot delis from 26 February, with the spaces being reutilized to “better reflect customers’ needs”.

The grocer said it had started rolling out a new management structure in 350 of its smaller superstores over the past two years and was extending this structure across its larger superstores and Extra stores.

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The number of lead and team managers in large UK stores will be cut by 1,750, and introduce 1,800 new lower-paid “shift leader” roles.

Those affected will have the option to move into the shift leader vacancies.

Tesco will also make more localised changes, which will affect 350 roles across the business, including the closure of eight pharmacies in supermarkets; moving overnight roles to the daytime in 12 stores and reducing hours in some post offices.

Some jobs will also go at Tesco’s head office in Welwyn Garden City, and the group intends to shut its maintenance national operating centre in Milton Keynes.

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It will also removing a small amount of roles in its Head Office and close the Tesco Maintenance National Operating Centre (NOC) in Milton Keynes.

Jason Tarry, the chief executive of Tesco UK and Ireland, said: “These are difficult decisions to make, but they are necessary to ensure we remain focused on delivering value for our customers wherever we can, as well as ensuring our store offer reflects what our customers value the most.

“Our priority is to support those colleagues impacted and help find alternative roles within our business from the vacancies and newly created roles we have available.”