UK Retailers Launch Massive Hiring to Support Virus-Strained Logistics--Update

By Matteo Castia

Tesco PLC said Friday that it is offering 20,000 new jobs to increase its store-based headcount as part of its response to soaring demand amid coronavirus concerns among customers.

Chief People Officer Natasha Adams said that new hires -- all contracted temporarily -- will help the U.K.'s largest grocer by market share to keep its shelves "full for customers."

Similarly, German discounter Aldi said Friday that is hiring 9,000 new employees across the U.K. to enhance its logistics in the country amid increasing demand boosted by the coronavirus crisis.

The grocer said that it has opened 5,000 permanent positions and 4,000 temporary ones to step up stock replenishing at its stores and to increase workforce at its distribution centers and supermarkets.

Also on Friday, Walmart Inc.'s U.K. business Asda Group Ltd. said that applications are open for 5,000 temporary workers, and that it will priorite those who have lost their jobs due to the forced closure of businesses in the food and travel sectors due to virus containment requirements.

These actions come shortly after Co-operative Group said on Thursday that it is recruiting 5,000 new employees in an effort to cover the extra store-based roles made necessary by mounting demand.

The new personnel will be working on temporary contracts and supporting the stock-replenishing chain, customer assistance, and the growing number of online orders.

Also on Thursday, Lidl Great Britain Ltd. said that it would recruit 2,500 recently laid-off staff. The new positions at Lidl are fixed-term and intended to reinforce the company's re-stocking process.

Both Lidl and Co-op said that they aim to hire candidates from the hospitality sector who have lost their jobs due to the closure of restaurants and pubs across the country.

First among the grocers in the country, Wm. Morrison Supermarkets PLC said Tuesday that it would open 3,500 new positions to strengthen its home delivery services after requests for food dispatches spiked over fears of contagion.

The U.K.'s fourth larger grocer by market share said that it would reinforce its deliveries to cover "many more households", employing 2,500 pickers and drivers, and 1,000 workers for distribution centers.

To date, J Sainsbury PLC remains the only among the four 'big four' British retailer to have not launched a coronavirus-related recruiting campaign to integrate its workforce.

Write to Matteo Castia at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 20, 2020 14:58 ET (18:58 GMT)

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