Allan Leighton’s latest move to revive Asda’s performance will see the supermarket cut a layer of middle management across its largest stores.
In a drive to simplify operations, the Asda chairman is reportedly ready to merge its section and trading manager roles into a single management position.
Around 20% of existing store managers will be promoted, but the changes will also mean redundancies in some locations, with some managers being offered roles at nearby stores, the Daily Telegraph suggests.
Asda has not confirmed how many people are affected. The restructuring is part of Leighton’s wider turnaround plan since rejoining as chairman last year, which has already seen job cuts, scrapped bonuses for managers, and pressure on suppliers to lower prices.
Asda, which has lost market share to rivals in recent months, says the overhaul will push decision-making closer to the shop floor and help it stay competitive on price. The shake-up follows similar management cuts at other major UK grocers.