Asda plans to cut 1,200 jobs by closing its in-store bakeries, as a growing number of customers make the switch to speciality breads and bagels from more traditional loaves.
The supermarket currently makes bread in-store from scratch but is switching to a central bakery that will supply stores with pre-baked products.
It will begin a formal consultation with affected staff, as many of whom as possible will be moved to other roles within the company with redundancy “the last option”.
“The current in-store bakery model has restricted our ability to respond to changing customer demands,” said Derek Lawlor, Asda’s Head of Merchandising.
This meant Asda had not been able to offer shoppers “speciality products and freshly baked goods they want to buy throughout the day,” he said.
The move means the supermarket will be able to bake fresh products several times a day, rather than once a day in-store.
Tesco made a similar decision last year.
