The job cuts at Sainsbury’s will come from closing down in-store cafes, removing pizza and hot food counters from stores, and axing 20% of senior management workers
Iceland has encouraged Sainsbury’s workers to apply for jobs at its stores after the supermarket confirmed it was axing 3,000 roles.
Sainsbury’s confirmed the news last week, which will affect about 2% of its 148,000 workforce. The job cuts will come from the supermarket closing down all its 61 in-store cafes, and removing its pizza and hot food counters from stores. Sainsbury’s is also axing 20% of senior management workers over the coming months.
In a Facebook post, Iceland encouraged anyone affected to apply for a job. The supermarket said: “We’re so sorry to hear about this. If you or anyone you know has been affected, feel free to check out our careers page. We have lots of great opportunities here at Iceland & The Food Warehouse.”
Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive, said the job cuts were necessary to “continue to drive forward” the business – and warned retailers are facing a “particularly challenging cost environment“. It comes after Sainsbury’s warned that tax increases from the October Budget would hit it with an extra £140million in costs.
He said: “As we accelerate into year two and beyond of our strategy, we are facing into a particularly challenging cost environment which means we have had to make tough choices about where we can afford to invest and where we need to do things differently to make our business more efficient and effective.
“The decisions we are announcing today are essential to ensure we continue to drive forward our momentum but have also meant some difficult choices impacting our dedicated colleagues in a number of parts of our business. We’ll be doing everything we can to support anyone impacted by today’s announcements.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed the rate of National Insurance paid by employers will rise from 13.8% to 15% from April 2025, while the earnings threshold for when employers start paying National Insurance will also be lowered from £9,100 per year to £5,000. Labour is also raising the minimum wage for workers. The National Living Wage for people aged 21 and over will rise to £12.21 in April, up from £11.44 currently.
Full list of Sainsbury’s cafes due to close
- Fosse Park
- Pontypridd
- Rustington
- Scarborough
- Penzance
- Denton
- Wrexham
- Longwater
- Ely
- Pontllanfraith
- Emersons Green
- Nantwich
- Pinhoe Road
- Pepper Hill – Northfleet
- Marshall Lake
- Rhyl
- Lincoln
- Bridgemead
- Larkfield
- Whitchurch Bargates
- Sedlescombe Road
- Barnstaple
- Dewsbury
- Kings Lynn Hardwick
- Truro
- Warren Heath
- Godalming
- Hereford
- Chichester
- Bognor Regis
- Newport
- Talbot Heath
- Rugby
- Cannock
- Leek
- Winterstoke Road
- Hazel Grove
- Morecambe
- Darlington
- Monks Cross
- Marsh Mills
- Springfield
- Durham
- Bamber Bridge
- Weedon Road
- Hempstead Valley
- Hedge End
- Bury St Edmunds
- Thanet Westwood Cross
- Stanway
- Castle Point
- Isle of Wight
- Keighley
- Swadlincote
- Leicester North
- Wakefield Marsh Way
- Torquay
- Waterlooville
- Macclesfield
- Harrogate
- Cheadle
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