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Cafes at four Kent Sainsbury’s superstores are set to close as the company plans to cut 3,000 jobs.
The major overhaul will see 2% of the company’s 148,000-strong workforce slashed and more than 60 in-store cafes shut across the country.
It will see about 20% of senior management roles cut at the supermarket giant as part of plans to focus on fewer, bigger roles and to simplify its head office and management teams.
The retailer also says it decided to close its remaining 61 Sainsbury’s cafes, subject to consultation.
It adds the majority of shoppers do not use the in-store cafes regularly, whereas food halls and concessions have grown in popularity.
Hempstead Valley in Gillingham, Westwood Cross in Thanet, Pepper Hill in Gravesend and Larkfield in Aylesford are the Kent branches set to see its cafes close.
Head office job losses will take place over the next few months.
Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive, says the supermarket was facing a “particularly challenging cost environment” as it moves forward with its company strategy.
“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,” he said.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to support anyone impacted by today’s announcements.”
The cuts come after Sainsbury’s announced its “biggest ever” Christmas trading period and said profit for the full year would likely be between £1.01 billion and £1.06 billion earlier in January.
But the supermarket is also trying to cut costs by £1 billion a year, and last year it cut about 1,500 roles, mostly from a contact centre in Cheshire.
The latest job cuts will see the company “explore redeployment opportunities where this is possible” for people affected.
Sainsbury’s said it will also close its remaining patisserie, hot food and pizza counters in-store and make the most popular items available in the aisles instead.
The company said in late 2024 that tax increases from the October Budget would hit it with an extra £140 million in costs, warning that the changes would also lead to higher inflation.