Sainsbury’s to make huge change to over 800 UK stores as it carries out full review

Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s will carry out a full range review, where it will assess which items are performing well in its smaller Sainsbury’s Local stores.

Sainsbury’s has launched a major improvement programme across its more than 800 convenience stores.

The supermarket will carry out a full range review, where it will assess which items are performing well in its smaller Sainsbury’s Local stores. This will include whether particular lines need to be removed or added, including its selection of “dine in” or “food-to-go” products. Sainsbury’s kicked off the initiative last weekend and is set to run over the next few months, reports The Grocer.

The supermarket will also be looking at how it can better use the space in its convenience. Sainsbury’s has previously announced plans to open between 20 and 25 convenience stores annually to increase its presence on the high street.

In its financial report published earlier this year, Sainsbury’s said: “In total, for 2024/25, we expect to open three supermarkets and around 25 new convenience stores, with four supermarkets and three to five convenience stores to close. In addition, we expect to open around ten Argos stores inside Sainsbury’s and close around 15-20 Argos stand-alone stores.”

It comes as Sainsbury’s and Argos confirmed plans to hire 18,000 people at Sainsbury’s and 2,000 workers at Argos to help cover the busy Christmas period. The supermarket chain will hire staff on fixed-term contracts ranging from three weeks to three months.

Some of the jobs up for grabs include shop workers, warehouse staff and drivers for home deliveries. The hourly pay for in-store and warehouse employees ranges from £12 to £13.50, depending on the location and the role. For drivers, the hourly pay is between £13 and £14.65 for drivers. Some of the perks workers will get include free food during shifts and a 10% discount across stores, rising to 15% every Friday and Saturday at Sainsbury’s and on pay day at Argos. Applications for the festive roles are open now.

Prerana Issar, the chief people officer at Sainsbury’s, said: “As the festive season draws near, we’re getting ready to create a memorable Christmas for our customers – and our brilliant colleagues play a central role in bringing this to life. Joining us during this busy time is a fantastic opportunity to meet great people and acquire skills that will stay with you long after the festive season.”

Marks and Spencer has also announced plans to hire 11,000 members of staff over Christmas. M&S is hiring for new customer assistants, who will help serve customers on the shop floor, as well as restocking shelves. Those who are interested will be able to apply for the new supermarket roles from October 9 and will be expected to start work from mid-November.