5,000 jobs at risk in Asda shake-up just months after £6.8bn takeover

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Up to 5,000 jobs at risk in Asda shake-up just months after Issa brothers’ £6.8bn debt-fuelled takeover

By Daily Mail City & Finance

Published: | Updated:

Up to 5,000 jobs are at risk at Asda as part of a major restructuring just months after the billionaire Issa brothers agreed a £6.8billion deal for the supermarket.

The UK’s third-largest supermarket said the changes had been driven by the ‘structural shift’ towards online food shopping during the pandemic.

Proposed cuts include 3,000 back office store jobs and 800 in warehouses in Dartford in Kent and Heston in the London borough of Hounslow, which will close. 

The UK’s third-largest supermarket said the changes had been driven by the ‘structural shift’ towards online food shopping during the pandemic

Around 1,100 of its store management roles will also be changed to support online grocery operations.

The supermarket will hire 4,500 in its delivery business, taking on staff hit by the cuts where possible.

Roger Jenkins, national officer for the GMB union, said: ‘Asda workers have had a torrid two years.

‘The scope of today’s announcement means 5,000 people have their lives put on hold.’

The news comes months after Mohsin and Zuba Issa, and private equity backer TDR Capital, agreed a debt-fuelled £6.8billion deal for the supermarket chain. 

The deal is awaiting approval from the competition watchdog.

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