Jobs axe fear at Sainsbury's Shropshire stores for HR and payroll staff
The jobs of payroll and HR staff at Sainsbury stores across Shropshire are at risk as the supermarket giant looks to axe 2,000 roles from the business.
It is part of a cost-cutting drive which is intended to slash £500 million from the costs of running the business over the next three years.
The company has confirmed it has launched a consultation on plans to remove HR and payroll roles from its stores, which is expected to affect around 1,400 staff.
It will also restructure its central office operations by consolidating HR and additional support staff from across the grocery chain, Argos and Sainsbury's Bank, which could see another 600 roles axed.
A spokeswoman said the move would affect most stores which had payroll clerks or HR staff.
Across Shropshire, Sainsbury's has major superstores at Bridgnorth, Oswestry, Meole Brace in Shrewsbury, Telford Forge Retail Park, and Whitchurch, plus smaller Local shops at Market Drayton, and Abbey Foregate and Whitecroft Road in Shrewsbury.
The announcement comes amid a major cost-cutting programme that has seen Sainsbury's commit to slashing £150 million of costs this year and £500 million in the following three years.
A spokesman for Sainsbury's said: "The UK grocery market is changing at a rapid pace and it's crucial that we transform the way we operate to meet future challenges and continue to provide customers with best in class service.
"Following a comprehensive review, we are proposing some updates to our HR structures and systems, as well as changes to a number of other support roles, subject to consultation.
"This has been a difficult decision and we appreciate that this will be a tough time for those colleagues affected by the changes.
"We will support them in any way we can."
J Sainsbury – which employs around 195,000 staff across the UK – is not the only grocer to reveal central job cuts in recent months.
In August, Asda confirmed it had axed nearly 300 jobs at its head office as part of its own cost-cutting drive, while a further 800 staff had the scope of their job descriptions changed as part of a shake-up.
The job cuts accounted for more than a tenth of Asda's 2,500 head office roles.
J Sainsbury recently notched up its best supermarket sales for years, raising hopes of rising profits.
