Obviously it's always bad news when job losses occur, particularly at a time of national distress, so the loss of 3,500 jobs at Sainsbury's is to be particularly decried.
However, I wonder if this marks a more fundamental problem for the company in relation to its customer base. Ultimately the supermarket has always been positioned at the higher end of the mainstream supermarkets. The news that they are to close fresh meat, fish and deli counters must surely put them at a major disadvantage within their own middle band competitors ?
Does this move not bring them nearer to the austere German discounters, to whom customers so inclined will have already defected ?
One suspects that they've overstretched themselves with the purchase of Argos, but even so, it seems fool hardy to damage your core product.
Perhaps it's at board room level where the dismissals need to take place !
However, I wonder if this marks a more fundamental problem for the company in relation to its customer base. Ultimately the supermarket has always been positioned at the higher end of the mainstream supermarkets. The news that they are to close fresh meat, fish and deli counters must surely put them at a major disadvantage within their own middle band competitors ?
Does this move not bring them nearer to the austere German discounters, to whom customers so inclined will have already defected ?
One suspects that they've overstretched themselves with the purchase of Argos, but even so, it seems fool hardy to damage your core product.
Perhaps it's at board room level where the dismissals need to take place !