(Bloomberg) -- Tesco Plc plans to create permanent roles for 16,000 new workers in its online business, underlining a pandemic-fueled shift to e-commerce that's wiping out jobs in the U.K.'s shopping districts.
Britain's largest supermarket operator said the positions are in addition to 4,000 permanent roles already created since Covid-19 emerged. A majority of the jobs will be filled by workers who joined on a temporary basis during the pandemic, it said.
The lockdown that began in March hastened the growth of online sales amid widespread stockpiling of food, and consumers have been reluctant to return to stores since restrictions were eased.
Marks & Spencer Group Plc, which sells food, clothing and items for the home, said last week that it would cut 7,000 jobs, bringing the total of lost employment in the U.K. retail sector to more than 35,000 this year.
The new Tesco jobs include 10,000 pickers to assemble customer orders and 3,000 delivery drivers, the company said in a statement.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
