Sainsbury's has announced the closure of its store in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, with trade union Unite warning that 109 jobs are at risk. The supermarket stated it is doing 'everything it can' to find alternative roles for affected staff within the company.
The store and its filling station are scheduled to close early next year. Sainsbury's declined to confirm the exact number of workers affected or how many could be redeployed. Unite regional officer Taryn Trainor called on the company to ensure all 109 employees are redeployed.
Trainor questioned whether Brexit played a role in the decision, stating: 'The rationale offered by Sainsbury's for this closure include changing demographics, which makes little sense except that as a cover for the impact of post-Brexit trading arrangements under the Northern Ireland Protocol.' Sainsbury's responded that any decision to close a store is 'not taken lightly and is based on a range of factors.'
Trainor also noted that sales surged in the last quarter, suggesting higher profits ahead, but added: 'Sadly however, this company expects the workers employed at its Craigavon site to pay the price for increasing those profits even further - as their store is not judged profitable enough.'
Sainsbury's said customers can continue to shop online or at nearby stores in Dungannon, Armagh, and Lisburn. The closure comes after Sainsbury's reported a £261m loss in April, despite strong food and Argos sales during the pandemic, though it expects profits to recover this year.
