Morrisons to introduce big change in stores – and it’s good news for shoppers
MORRISONS is to introduce a big change to its stores to make sure shelves are stocked faster by floor staff.
The supermarket giant is rolling out a tracking app for store managers so they can see how quickly staff are unloading food onto shelves.
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It said the new system, which was first reported by the Telegraph, would allow them to identify when employees may need additional training.
It comes as Morrisons tries to win back shoppers from rivals, as it is set to be overtaken by Lidl as Britain’s fifth biggest supermarket.
The latest data shows that the discount retailer makes up 8.3% of the grocery market share against Morrisons’ 8.4%, according to Worldpanel.
This is compared to Morrisons‘ 8.6% a year earlier, and 9.4% in 2022.
The supermarket said it had been tracking how quickly staff were working for some time now to make sure the right number of workers were on the shop floor.
But the new app will “help teams understand their own performance” and allow employees’ work to be monitored by store managers, rather than the company’s head office.
A Morrisons spokesperson said: “Along with a lot of our sector, we have used ‘time and motion’ data for some time now to help us allocate hours to a store and ensure we have fair, consistent and standardised ways of working.
“To support this, we have created an app to help teams understand their own performance.
“This will allow us to be fair and consistent in recognising colleagues, whilst also identifying opportunities to coach our colleagues and understand where additional support and training may be required.”
Earlier this year, in a move to improve customer service in stores, Morrisons changed its rules for staff so that only certain workers would be allowed to enter stockrooms.
The retailer said it wanted to ensure it had “the right colleagues in the right place to deliver the best service to customers at all times”.
What else is happening at Morrisons?
Last year, Morrisons slashed over 3,600 jobs and closed 17 stores as part of a major shake-up to its operations.
The supermarket’s workforce dropped from 104,819 to 101,144 in the year leading up to October 27, 2024.
Thousands of jobs were axed across Morrisons’ stores, head office, as well as its manufacturing and distribution operations.
The latest job losses come after the Morrisons shut 17 of its stores around the UK earlier this year, with the final store in Haxby, North Yorkshire, closing on May 14.
The 16 other stores were all axed in April.
As part of a cost-cutting overhaul, the grocer also shut more than 50 of its in-store cafés, 35 meat and fish counters, and 18 Market Kitchen food courts earlier this year.
It cited the need to cut costs amid rising financial pressure.
How to save money on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
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