Thousands of staff working at Tesco Metro stores across the UK are set to lose their jobs.
The supermarket giant announced on Monday afternoon that around 4,500 employees at 153 Tesco Metro branches are expected to be made redundant.
Jason Tarry, UK & ROI CEO at Tesco, said: "In a challenging, evolving retail environment, with increasing cost pressures, we have to continue to review the way we run our stores to ensure we reflect the way our customers are shopping and do so in the most efficient way.
"We do not take any decision which impacts colleagues lightly, but have to make sure we remain relevant for customers and operate a sustainable business now and in the future."
Earlier this year, reports circulated that Tesco was to axe hundreds of jobs as part of a cost-cutting drive.
Tesco is believed to be aiming to make £1.5bn of cost savings by 2020.
Now, it has announced a raft of new job losses which will affect staff working at Tesco Metro stores.
Tesco also plans to reduce opening hours at over 100 other branches, with doors opening later in the morning and shutting earlier in the evenings.
Tesco Metro shops are those which are larger than Tesco Express stores, but not as big as superstores.
They are mainly located in city centres close to railway stations, or on high streets of towns.
