Supermarket giant Tesco has today announced changes to both its Metro and Express stores which will lead to a cut of thousands of job roles.
Tesco claim the changes serve "shoppers better and to run the business more sustainably" in the current retail environment which it says is "increasingly competitive and challenging".
The changes come as Tesco state the Metro format was originally designed for larger, weekly shops, but today nearly 70% of customers use them as convenience stores, buying food for that day.
The three major changes will include:
- faster and simpler ways of filling shelves, with fewer products stored in back rooms and more stock going straight to the shop floor;
- Shop workers working more flexibly across the store to improve customer service at the busiest times of the day and in the right areas of the store; and
- creating a leaner management structure
There will also be changes to 134 of its 1,750 Express stores where, as Tesco states, footfall is much lower.
The exact location of stores affected have not yet been revealed.
There will also be some localised changes in some large stores, which will see Tesco streamlining operational routines, including how it moves stock around stores and fills shelves.
Jason Tarry, CEO in UK & ROI, 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.”
Tesco says its priority now is to support affected colleagues, helping find alternative roles within Tesco for as many as possible.
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