Asda has said that up to 5000 jobs are at risk as the retailer announces new restructuring plans that focus on its online business.

The restructuring might mean that 3,000 back office store workers could lose their jobs as part of the online grocery “structural shift.”

But the retailer also said it wanted to add 4,500 staff in order to develop its online operation.

Asda chief exec Roger Burnley said that Asda’s transformation plans will result in more roles created than those cut, and that the company’s aim is to ensure as many employees as possible stay on with the company.

The Asda boss said that the proposed changes would be “unsettling” for Asda employees but stressed that it is the company’s “priority to support them” during the consultation process.

"The pandemic has accelerated change across the retail sector especially the shift towards grocery home shopping and our priority is to serve customers in the way they want to shop with us,” explained Burnley. "The last 12 months have shown us that businesses have to be prepared to adapt quickly to change and I am incredibly proud of the way we demonstrated our agility and resilience through the pandemic."

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