Waitrose workers could lose their jobs if they don’t accept flexible hours, as the premium grocer seeks to boost productivity and keep costs down.
According to the Financial Times, Waitrose kicked off a consultation with employees late last month, setting the stage for changes to their contracts under a project called Simpler Shops.
The business has been losing market share during the cost of living squeeze as shoppers head towards rivals Aldi and Lidl to save cash.
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Waitrose retail director Tina Mitchell said in a staff video seen by the Financial Times that some partners may need to make “sacrifices and compromises” and warned that streamlining operations “may result in some partners leaving the business”.
“Unless we change how we work, there’s a real danger that the partnership won’t exist in the form that we want it to in the future,” she added according to the FT.
Waitrose was striving to have “the right amount of partners doing the right tasks at the right time” as shopping patterns change, including having enough staff on the shop floor during its busiest times, she said.
Last month Waitrose unveiled its own lunchtime meal deal for the first time, including a main, side and drink for £5.
The premium grocer‘s food-to-go offer now features a selection of sandwiches, sushi, salads, and wraps, as well as fruit, cereal bars, juices and smoothies, bringing Waitrose in line with rivals Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, which all currently provide lunch deals.
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