A huge Tesco distribution centre in Kent could be set to shut after the supermarket giant revealed plans to axe 400 jobs.
It comes as the UK’s largest supermarket chain outlines proposals to “simplify” its business, with in-store bakeries, managers in head offices and staff at its mobile phone shops being affected.
Separately to the jobs under threat, Tesco said it would soon launch a consultation over the closure of its Snodland distribution centre.
It said this follows plans to open a new warehouse in Aylesford, which is around three miles away and is “larger with new technology and improved facilities”.
All staff at the Snodland centre will be offered a role at the new site.
The retail giant said it was having to seek “more efficient ways of working” due to the increasingly competitive nature of the UK grocery industry.
Tesco UK boss Matthew Barnes said: “These are difficult decisions affecting our colleagues, but we believe they are necessary to enable us to invest in what matters most to our customers.
“Our priority is to support impacted colleagues and we will do everything we can to help them find alternative roles within our business. Today, we have almost 1,000 vacancies available.”
Earlier this month, Tesco bosses cheered the retailer’s “biggest ever Christmas” as it increased its share of the UK grocery market to its highest level since 2016.
It reported UK and Ireland like-for-like sales, excluding fuel and VAT, up 3.7% over the six weeks to January 4 and record trading in the week before Christmas.
The cuts at Tesco come a week after rival Sainsbury’s said it would axe around 3,000 jobs as part of a major overhaul.
The UK’s second-largest grocer will close its in-store cafes and remove its pizza and hot food counters from stores as a result.
Tesco has been approached for further information.
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