Two big problems with the Sainsbury’s job cuts

You won’t be able to get a cup of coffee. Nor will you be able to pick up something from the patisserie or the pizza oven. A trip to Sainsbury’s was hardly the most exciting thing in the world, but it is about to get a little bit duller, with the grocery chain set to get rid of its last remaining cafes, as well as speciality counters. And the Labour government is to blame for that.

Sainsbury’s had already closed its fresh meat, fish and deli counters, and announced this week that it was closing down the cafes and counters that used to be a regular feature of its stores as well, with the loss of 3,000 jobs. You can still trudge around and pick up some frozen pizza and washing powder, so long as you are happy to scan them yourself at the till, but that is about it. If you were looking for any retailing pizzazz, forget it.