Supermarket chain Morrisons is planning to shut down approximately 100 stores across the United Kingdom, a move that may jeopardize numerous job positions. Employees were informed today about the company’s decision to close its Morrisons Daily shops, with efforts to reassign affected staff to other roles within the business wherever feasible.
The closure of Morrisons Daily outlets is scheduled to take place in the coming months, targeting underperforming stores identified as the most challenging within the company’s portfolio. Despite these closures, Morrisons intends to expand by opening more Morrisons Daily convenience stores, with Chief Executive Rami Baitiéh aiming to establish hundreds of new locations in the upcoming years.
All the stores facing closure were previously McColl’s stores, acquired by Morrisons in 2022 after outbidding Asda for the purchase. The company’s growth strategy involves predominantly operating the new Morrisons Daily outlets as franchises rather than directly owned by the supermarket chain.
In a bid to streamline operations and reduce costs, Morrisons announced plans to eliminate over 200 head office positions in April, affecting around 8% of jobs at its headquarters in Bradford. This restructuring initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency across various retail formats.
Recently, the convenience stores segment was integrated into Morrisons’ retail division under the leadership of Group Retail Director Martin Dawson following the departure of Matt Heslop, the former group wholesale and convenience director. The company has unveiled several initiatives, including expanding its online services and introducing a new fleet of delivery vans to bolster Morrisons Online.
In a positive move for staff, Morrisons confirmed a pay raise effective from July 20, as part of an agreement supported by the union, USDAW. A Morrisons spokesperson highlighted the company’s progress since acquiring the McColl’s stores, emphasizing significant investments in rebranding and operational enhancements within the Morrisons Daily business.
Despite these efforts, a review of the company-owned stores identified a number of underperforming locations acquired from McColl’s, leading to the proposal to close several stores in the coming months. This decision may result in redundancies for some Convenience store employees, prompting a consultation process to provide necessary support and explore alternative opportunities within the company for affected staff.
