Morrisons closes stores, cafes, cuts jobs
Analysis based on 13 articles · First reported Mar 24, 2025 · Last updated Mar 25, 2025
The closures by Morrisons, affecting 365 jobs and numerous in-store services, signal ongoing challenges in the United Kingdom's retail sector, particularly for traditional supermarkets facing rising labor costs and competition from discounters like Aldi. This could lead to negative sentiment for Morrisons and potentially other United Kingdom-based retailers, as similar actions by Sainsbury s suggest a broader industry trend.
Morrisons, a major United Kingdom supermarket chain, announced the closure of 17 convenience stores, 52 in-store cafes, 18 market kitchens, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters, and 4 pharmacies. This decision, following a comprehensive review, is aimed at renewing and reinvigorating Morrisons by focusing investment on more valuable areas, as these services were deemed no longer financially viable. Approximately 365 jobs are at risk of redundancy, although most affected staff will be redeployed. Morrisons' CEO, Rami Baitiéh, cited rising labor costs, including increases in employer national insurance contributions and the national minimum wage, as contributing factors, and had previously complained to the United Kingdom government about these 'avalanches of costs'. This move echoes similar cuts made by rival Sainsbury s and highlights the competitive pressure from discounters like Aldi, which surpassed Morrisons in market share in 2022. Morrisons was acquired by private equity group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2021.
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