Asda has assured British Baker that the retailer’s in-store bakery workers will not be affected in its recently announced Project Renewal process. 

Last week the company revealed it had entered into a 45-day consultation with about 5,000 store workers as part of its proposed store changes. It is also looking at closing its ‘create your own pizza’ counters from smaller stores and removing some staff canteens.

But a spokesperson from Asda told British Baker: “Our in-store bakeries and the colleagues who work in them are not part of the current consultation process.”

In last week’s statement, the supermarket said the number of staff involved in the consultation did not reflect the number of possible redundancies, as many of those under discussion would be redeployed to alternative sectors.

Asda said: “The structure of UK grocery retailing has permanently changed to reflect the way that customers shop today.

“We have entered into a consultation with our store colleagues on proposals which we believe will enable us to react more quickly by becoming a leaner and more agile business.”