Jobs risk at Tesco stores

THOUSANDS of jobs at Tesco are at risk as it prepares to swing the axe on swathes of stores and convert dozens into a discount chain.

As many as 30 of its Metro stores are earmarked for closure, with a further 60 set to be converted into Jack’s – a budget concept named after Tesco founder Jack Cohen being launched this week in a bid to take on the German discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Tesco’s Metro shops are sized between its superstores and small Express shops, and each employ an average of 75 staff. Tesco disputed the figures but declined to comment.