Morrisons hires 45,000 new staff during ‘British supermarket renaissance’

Supermarket chain Morrisons has hired tens of thousands of new staff during the COVID-19 crisis in what it has called the “renaissance of British supermarkets”.

The firm, which published interim results today for the six month period ending August 2, has announced it took on 45,000 new employees to support growth during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

Morrisons saw like-for-like sales (excluding fuel) increase by 8.7 per cent on the previous year, growing its online and home delivery order capacity fivefold.

The company, which expanded its delivery service during lockdown to meet the growing demand, stated that it wanted to “seize what seem like step-change opportunities in the online and at-home markets”.

David Potts, Morrisons chief executive, commented: “From the start of the pandemic we stepped up and put the company’s assets at the disposal of the country to help feed the nation.

“Morrisons is at the heart of local communities and responded quickly when it mattered most, and we are very grateful for the British public’s appreciation of all the vital work our colleagues are doing. I believe we are seeing the renaissance of British supermarkets.

“We are now looking forward to holding on to what we created in the first half, building on our colleagues’ inspiration and innovation, and sustaining the momentum of a broader, stronger Morrisons.”