Sainsbury's issues update as popular sections at major stores face closure

Sainsbury's has revealed an update on plans to axe key services from stores and cut 3,000 jobs - despite strong profits. The has confirmed when it will close remaining patisserie, hot food and pizza counters at its larger shops.

In its most recent financial results this morning, the retailer announced that the counters will close "by early summer", reports. The most popular items sold from these counters will be relocated to aisles in stores, bosses say.

The retailer revealed today its performance figures for the 2024/25 financial year, with underlying profits jumping by 7.2% to £1.03 billion. The increase was driven by strong sales at Sainsbury's, which helped balance out a dip in Argos's earnings.

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Despite this success, Sainsbury's wants to slash costs by £1 billion annually. It has already made moves to cut around 1,500 jobs in 2024, primarily affecting a contact centre in Cheshire.

The retailer also revealed that new "On the Go" hubs offering hot food will be introduced across stores from the autumn. initially announced plans to axe its remaining patisserie, hot food and pizza counters across larger stores in January.

Counters in smaller Local stores are not affected. Sainsbury's also stated it would close 61 existing in-store cafes and cut 3,000 head office staff. The supermarket explained that the decision to axe the cafes was made as fewer of its loyal customers were using them.

The cafes' final day of trading was April 11, just six days ago. However, it is still unclear when the 3,000 head office staff will be made redundant.

About 20 percent of senior management roles will be eliminated at the supermarket giant. Sainsbury's boss Simon Roberts said in January that the supermarket is navigating through a "challenging cost environment".

The 61 Sainsbury's cafes that have closed:

• Hazel Grove
• Denton
• Nantwich
• Warren Heath
• Ely
• Marsh Mills
• Winterstoke Road
• Pepper Hill - Northfleet
• Waterlooville
• Stanway
• Hedge End
• Darlington
• Truro
• Swadlincote
• Bamber Bridge
• Hempstead Valley
• Rhyl
• Keighley
• Bridgemead
• Longwater
• Monks Cross
• Pinhoe Road
• Whitchurch Bargates
• Larkfield
• Rugby
• Macclesfield
• Lincoln
• Springfield
• Weedon Road
• Fosse Park
• Pontllanfraith
• Bury St Edmunds
• Morecambe
• Godalming
• Newport
• Durham
• Leicester North
• Pontypridd
• Thanet Westwood Cross
• Hereford
• Wakefield Marsh Way
• Harrogate
• Chichester
• Marshall Lake
• Penzance
• Dewsbury
• Barnstaple
• Talbot Heath
• Emersons Green
• Cheadle
• Torquay
• Isle of Wight
• Rustington
• Kings Lynn Hardwick
• Cannock
• Wrexham
• Scarborough
• Castle Point
• Sedlescombe Road
• Leek
• Bognor Regis