The UK supermarket Morrisons has announced plans to close 100 stores over the next couple of months. The British high street has been facing hard times in recent years, with many shops and businesses being forced to close down due to rising costs and reduced footfall.
Morrisons, which has been in business since 1899, has now blamed “rising Government costs” for its decision to shut down 100 of its convenience stores. The closure of these Morrisons Daily shops, usually found on high streets, is said to be putting hundreds of jobs at risk, according to the Retail Gazette. The supermarket said the affected Morrisons Daily stores had been loss-making for some time and were originally acquired as part of its £190million rescue deal for McColl’s in 2022.
The company said the stores’ performance had been “challenged for a number of years”, even though efforts were made to improve trading.
And like many other businesses being forced to shut their doors, Morrisons noted the circumstances were made worse by “significant cost increases resulting from Government policy choices” such as national living wage increases and employer National Insurance contributions.
It’s not yet known exactly how many jobs are at risk, or which stores are set to be affected, but a consultation on the proposed closures is set to begin shortly.
Employees who are affected by the closures may be able to get alternative roles, according to a spokesperson from Morrisons. This news comes after Morrisons said last year it would shut 52 cafes and 17 convenience stores.
In April, the retailer also announced that around 200 roles were at risk at its Bradford head office.
At the moment, there are around 1,700 Morrisons Daily stores in the UK. But despite the proposed closures, the supermarket says it still has a strong expansion plan for this year.
According to a Government spokesperson, the closures were a commercial decision for Morrisons. They said: “We understand that this is a concerning time for workers and their families.
“A broad range of support is available for those affected. Acas can also provide employees and employers with free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice.”
Meanwhile, Morrisons was recently also the first supermarket to announce it will remove sharp-pointed kitchen knives from sale in a bid to tackle blade crime. The retail giant is set to replace its traditional knives with ones that can’t break through skin.
Anti-knife charities and campaigners have backed these plans. David Scott, corporate affairs director at Morrisons, said the business would now sell Viners’ rounded-tip Assure Collection. “They’re just as effective in the kitchen but reduce the risk of harm,” he said.