Morrisons To Close 52 Cafes And 17 Convenience Stores!

Morrisons, one of the UK’s leading supermarket chains, is set to close 52 cafes and 17 convenience stores, impacting hundreds of employees. The decision is part of a larger effort to streamline operations and redirect cash to other areas of the business. These closures are expected to unfold over the next few months.

Key Changes at Morrisons

• Store Closures: 52 cafes and 17 Morrisons Daily convenience stores will close, affecting multiple locations across the UK, including London, Leeds, Portsmouth, and Glasgow.
• In-Store Services: The supermarket will shut various in-store services, including:
  • 35 meat counters
  • 35 fish counters
  • 18 market kitchens
  • 13 florists
  • 4 pharmacies

Impact on Employees

Morrisons employs around 95,000 people across its 500 supermarkets and 1,600 Morrisons Daily stores. Despite efforts to redeploy most staff, approximately 365 employees will be at risk of redundancy.

• Employee Redundancies: While most staff will be offered redeployment, some roles may be eliminated due to the closures.
• Job Losses in Cafes and Convenience Stores: The 52 cafe closures, as well as the reduction in other in-store services, will affect workers across multiple locations.

Morrisons’ Strategy to Revitalize the Business

Chief Executive Rami Baitiéh emphasized that these changes are necessary to help Morrisons focus its investment on areas customers truly value, ensuring future growth. In some cases, the supermarket chain plans to partner with third-party specialists to provide tailored offerings in affected stores.

With growing competition from discount retailers like Aldi, which overtook Morrisons in 2022, the supermarket chain is working to reinvigorate its business and maintain its position in the competitive UK grocery market.

Stay tuned as Morrisons continues to adjust its strategy in the face of evolving market conditions.