Tesco job cuts: Supermarket confirm up to 9,000 jobs to be lost in restructure

Reports over the weekend suggested that Tesco would be axing 15,000 jobs and getting rid of the meat, fish and deli counters. 

However the supermarket giant has now officially confirmed that up to 9,000 jobs are at risk at its head office and in stores as part of efforts to simplify the business.

The closures and cutbacks are said to be part of chief executive Dave Lewis’ attempts to save £1.5bn in costs by 2020.  

Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket, has 732 stores with a typical shop having five fish mongers, five butchers, as well as six deli and cheese counter workers who now all face their jobs being axed. ?

Hundreds of people are employed by the supermarket chain across the area. ?

The News contacted Tesco over the weekend for comment about the initial rumours that thousands of jobs would be lost. 

A spokesman was unable to confirm how many – if any – jobs were in the firing line in stores across the Portsmouth area.

But he said: ‘We’re always looking at ways to run our business more simply and efficiently.

‘Whenever we make changes in our business, colleagues are always the first to know.’

This news comes less than after John Lewis announced the closure of Knight & Lee in Southsea, with 127 jobs at risk of redundancy. 

The historic department store, which is the oldest in the city, will shut in July 2019 – around six months from now. 

Ageas Insurance also announced last week that up to 200 jobs are at risk as it looks to move its business out of Port Solent. 

The firm will now be consulting with staff as it looks to move from its current leased office into a building in Eastleigh, which it owns. 

Anyone who does not want to move could be made redundant.

A statement from the firm said it hopes to move all operations to the new office, and that it will be helping staff to transfer.