Morrisons reverses fish and meat counter closures
Morrisons has responded to customer feedback and will reopen its Market Street counters, in selected stores.
Last year, the supermarket shuttered 35 meat and 35 fish counters at sites across the UK, along with 52 cafes, 13 florists, four pharmacies and all 18 branches of its Market Kitchen format.
The move, which Morrisons described were in locations that were unprofitable, was met with widespread backlash. Now signs have appeared in stores announcing “fresh cuts are back on the block” with “skilled butchers” returning.
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“Our Market Street counters are part of our DNA,” a Morrisons spokesman told The Grocer. “They are at the heart of our offer and a real differentiator for Morrisons.”
The spokesperson added that the supermarket had learnt a lot from the closures of the counters.
It stressed it has also improved the waste yield from its counters in the year since the closures, making the counters more efficient to run.
This reopening of Market Street will also see a digital upgrade, with the addition of digital ordering screens at pizza counters.
Counters have already reopened at locations including Great Park in Newcastle, Herne Bay, Thornbury and Yeadon in Leeds, with more to follow.
It was announced last month that Morrisons’ increased use of data and AI has delivered £940 million in savings over the past three years.
The grocer announced earlier this year that it would ramp up its use of data, automation and AI as part of a wider cost-cutting drive, which included job cuts across all functions at its Bradford head office.
