Iceland Foods’ Post

Hi Another day, another highly profitable supermarket group (£1 billion last year) delivering bad news to its workforce. My early years with Morrisons’ Supermarkets has left me connected to a lot of retailers and as happened with Asda's cuts before Christmas behind the headlines are real people who will be receiving terrible news which could seriously impact their lives. So I wanted to post with some advice and encouragement. Advice: ✅ The world is full of cv advice so I’ll keep this bit brief. Two sides, be accurate and ensure you focus on things you’ve achieved (numbers help) rather than just the jobs you’ve had. 🤝Don’t be embarrassed, reach out to everyone you’ve worked with over the years. They’ll help where they can and a personal relationship can unlock doors and application can’t. 🫶Reach out to the other people you know in your situation, support each other, most people are far kinder than the press would have you believe. 💻Set up job alerts and get recommendations for good retail agencies. McCarthy Recruitment  AdMore Recruitment Zachary Daniels are three, reach out. 💷work out your finances understand where you stand and if necessary reach out to banks, providers etc and explain your situation 💻get on LinkedIn and use it. It can be a great network and there’s lots of decent people who will help you if they can That’s practical stuff, now the emotional which trust me I understand ❌You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Better people than you or me have been in this position. ✅Treat your search like a job. Allocate time to it and ensure you have down time too ✅ Get stuck into those things in your personal life you’ve been putting off they’ll give you a sense of purpose and satisfaction As Chris Ledger can testify. Part of the Asda cull, starts a new job on February 3rd. 💪 Keep the faith guys - orange was never your colour anyway. #Sainsburys #Jobsearch

BBC News - Sainsbury's to cut 3,000 jobs by closing cafés and counters - BBC News https://lnkd.in/gMTzsvNt Today, news broke that Sainsbury’s, one of the UK’s largest and most trusted retailers, is set to cut 3,000 jobs. The company cites the small increase in national insurance payments as a key driver for this decision. For me (I can't speak for others), this rationale feels deeply disappointing, especially when considered alongside Sainsbury’s recent financial results and optimistic growth projections. In November 2024, Sainsbury’s proudly reported strong underlying profit growth and projected a retail operating profit increase of up to 10% for the coming year (https://lnkd.in/gWs4BJcb ) This positive outlook painted a picture of stability and growth, a reassuring sign for employees and customers alike. Yet, just months later, this announcement feels hollow as the company shifts its focus away from the people who deliver excellent service day in, day out. The decision to lay off thousands of employees appears to place shareholder dividends above the livelihoods of workers who form the backbone of the business. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially for those who have remained loyal through the challenges of recent years; from pandemic disruptions to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. This is part of a worrying trend in corporate decision-making, where short-term financial gain for shareholders is prioritized over long-term investment in people. It raises questions about corporate responsibility and whether businesses, particularly those as influential as Sainsbury’s, truly value the people who enable their success. As customers, employees, and members of the community, we expect more from companies that profit from our trust and loyalty. Job cuts like these do not just impact the individuals involved but ripple across families, communities, and local economies. At a time when customers are looking to businesses for ethical leadership and compassion, decisions like this risk eroding trust. It’s time for companies to shift their focus back to what truly matters...their people! Profits may keep shareholders happy, but it’s the dedication and hard work of employees that build the trust and loyalty of customers. To Sainsbury's leadership: your people are your greatest asset. I urge you to rethink the priorities that led to this decision and explore ways to protect your workforce while maintaining your financial health. Let’s remember that a company is only as strong as the people who stand behind it. If businesses like Sainsbury’s want to thrive in the long term, they must balance profit with purpose. #corporateresponsibility #ethics #careers #community #retail #leadership #sustainability

3,000 jobs gone... Sainsbury’s has just announced mass job cuts, citing a tough cost environment. But let’s not ignore one real trigger here—an extra £140 million annual bill landing on their doorstep thanks to Rachel from Accounts and her Halloween budget. With employer National Insurance contributions rising in April, how many more businesses will be forced to follow suit? How many more jobs will vanish in the coming months because of policy decisions? Yes, the CEO of Sainsbury’s has broader commercial challenges to juggle, but let’s be clear—Rachel is not absolved of blame. I have never posted a vaguely 'political' post before on here, only dabbling with a couple of others in the past bemoaning previous government decisions, but I̲ ̲f̲e̲e̲l̲ ̲f̲o̲r̲ ̲e̲v̲e̲r̲y̲o̲n̲e̲ ̲i̲m̲p̲a̲c̲t̲e̲d̲ ̲b̲y̲ ̲t̲h̲i̲s̲, especially those working in head office, management, and the remaining in-store cafés. This isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. T̲h̲e̲s̲e̲ ̲a̲r̲e̲ ̲l̲i̲v̲e̲l̲i̲h̲o̲o̲d̲s̲. How many more job losses before those in charge of this country start thinking about the real-world impact of their decisions?

Sainsbury’s is to cut more than 3,000 head office jobs and close all its remaining cafés as part of a plan to strip out costs by £1bn. The UK’s second-largest grocer, one of the biggest private sector employers in the country with about 150,000 workers, said it was “facing into a particularly challenging cost environment” following budget tax increases and had to make some “tough choices” to make the business more efficient

This is such a shortsighted move. Labour costs are expressed as a percentage to sales. Ultimately, it’s the points of difference that create and drive footfall which intern delivers incremental spend all the way round the shop. Strip out all your points of difference and you’re just another discount player but a rather expensive one . Where sainsburys and Asda are at the moment . Guess what happens footfall goes backwards sales go backwards and your cost to sell goes up. So you need to cut more cost right? Now the big four will tell you that they have better quality, but that quality gap has closed considerably, for example Aldi get their beef from the same supplier as Waitroes (waitroes drove this to help with capacity, crazy right?) It’s fair to say that they’ve got more choice but carrying all of those skews ,the distribution and buying behind it is expensive , the only way to make that pay is to drive as much footfall through your store as possible, given that Aldi and Lidl CAN NOT COMPETE ON SPACE . Then giving customers memorable moments is where the opportunity is. Morrisons are best placed to double down on their fresh food offer and win this race for survival. But even Morrisons need to improve their execution.

Sainsbury's is making a bitter brew this month as it announces job cuts to 3,000 staff, closures of in-store cafés, and reductions in senior management. Rising operational costs and new tax hikes are putting immense pressure on the UK's second-largest supermarket chain.  The economic brew isn’t sweet for retailers, as higher wage requirements and a 1.2% jump in employers’ national insurance contributions are driving costs upward. Sainsbury’s faces a £140M tax bill, proving even grocery giants aren't immune. Is the industry prepared for this stormy economic climate?  What strategies should companies adopt to navigate these challenges? Sign up for The Teapot Newsletter

Asda is planning more job losses after it made nearly 500 head office employees redundant without a consultation period. The supermarket is thought to be targeting the staff working on its IT overhaul, which is expected to complete early next year, in its next wave of redundancies, The Telegraph reported. https://dy.si/KWYR5

𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆'𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝘁 𝟯,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗳é𝘀. Although Sainsbury's was already in the midst of a plan to save £1bn over the next few years, the BBC understands the rise in employer's National Insurance contributions set out in the Budget has also been a factor in the latest restructuring plan. Sainsbury's has said the rise in employer's NI contributions will cost it £140m from April. Link to article in the comments. #retail #costreduction #procurement #purchasing.

Tesco is set to cut 400 jobs as it looks to “simplify” the business. Cuts will impact several head office management roles, management in Tesco Mobile phone shops and staff at its in-store bakeries. #Retail #RetailNews https://lnkd.in/eBkXjXks