Asda is cutting jobs and authorizing office-going amid turnaround efforts
Asda is ordering head office staff to work on site for at least three days a week, while also announcing job cuts to improve operations and stabilize its market position.
The changes, communicated in an internal email by interim CEO Lord Rose, affect more than 5,000 staff across Leeds and Leicester, taking effect from January 2025.
Since Asda was sold for £6.8 billion to the Issa brothers and TDR Capital in 2021, the supermarket’s market share has fallen from 14.6% to 12.6%, losing ground to Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The decision to reduce remote working aligns Asda with its competitors and aims to foster a collaborative and responsive work culture.
In addition to changes to its operating policy, Asda will eliminate some head office roles to “remove duplication and simplify structures,” although the retailer did not specify the number of positions affected.
Lord Rose, who took over the interim leadership after Mohsin Issa left, aims to revive Asda’s operations with support from TDR colleague Rob Hattrell. The search for a permanent CEO, led by recruitment firm Spencer Stuart, is ongoing, although the role is said to present challenges in attracting candidates given Asda’s current operational difficulties.
