Sainsbury's issues new closure update after shutting 61 supermarket cafes in April

Sainsbury’s has shared a major update on the closure of its patisserie and hot food counters after shutting over 60 of its in-store cafes.

Earlier this year,would close alongside all of its remaining hot food, pizza and patisserie counters.

Sainsbury's claimed that most shoppers didn't use the cafes regularly and that coffee shops run by outside firms - including Starbucks - in its stores were proving more popular. However, it has not made any announcements regarding this since. Sainsbury's cafes all closed on April 11, and it has now issued an update on it's shake-up plans.

According to reports, the patisserie and hot food counters closed last month, although it is not clear exactly when pizza counters closed. Products sold through counters have now been moved to aisles.

The said the move would create space to offer "more fresh food ranges in more stores." One Sainsbury's insider said the counter spaces would be replaced with areas selling gluten-free and dairy-free produce. Alongside this, new self-service bread slicing machines are set to be phased in over the coming months.

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The update comes after Sainsbury's said they would close "by early summer" in its financial results published last month. Overall, the closures were set to result in around 3,000 jobs cuts, which included about 20% of its senior management roles.

At the time, Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive, said: “As we accelerate into year two and beyond of our strategy, we are facing into a particularly challenging cost environment which means we have had to make tough choices about where we can afford to invest and where we need to do things differently to make our business more efficient and effective.

“The decisions we are announcing today are essential to ensure we continue to drive forward our momentum but have also meant some difficult choices impacting our dedicated colleagues in a number of parts of our business."

The closing of hot food counters followed a previous clear-out of others in store. In 2020, Sainsbury's announced it was permanently shutting its in-store meat, fish and deli counters due to “reduced consumer demand”.

Full list of Sainsbury's cafes that closed in April

• Fosse Park
• Pontypridd
• Rustington
• Scarborough
• Penzance
• Denton
• Wrexham
• Longwater
• Ely
• Pontllanfraith
• Emersons Green
• Nantwich
• Pinhoe Road
• Pepper Hill - Northfleet
• Marshall Lake
• Rhyl
• Lincoln
• Bridgemead
• Larkfield
• Whitchurch Bargates
• Sedlescombe Road
• Barnstaple
• Dewsbury
• Kings Lynn Hardwick
• Truro
• Warren Heath
• Godalming
• Hereford
• Chichester
• Bognor Regis
• Newport
• Talbot Heath
• Rugby
• Cannock
• Leek
• Winterstoke Road
• Hazel Grove
• Morecambe
• Darlington
• Monks Cross
• Marsh Mills
• Springfield
• Durham
• Bamber Bridge
• Weedon Road
• Hempstead Valley
• Hedge End
• Bury St Edmunds
• Thanet Westwood Cross
• Stanway
• Castle Point
• Isle of Wight
• Keighley
• Swadlincote
• Leicester North
• Wakefield Marsh Way
• Torquay
• Waterlooville
• Macclesfield
• Harrogate
• Cheadle

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