Sainsbury's: patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters service cuts - as firm axes food counters and bakeries

Consumer Sainsbury's: patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters service cuts - as firm axes food counters and bakeries By Alex Nelson Jobs, finance and retail writer Comment Published 23rd Apr 2025, 09:45 BST Updated 23rd Apr 2025, 09:45 BST Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now The supermarket is switching up how it bakes — and shoppers might notice the difference 🍞 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks.

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This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply. Sainsbury’s is to close its remaining patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters by early summer Scratch bakeries are also to be replaced with “bake-off” model, finishing pre-made items in-store 61 in-store cafés have already shut, with around 3,000 jobs lost across recent changes Popular products will move to main aisles, and new hot food ‘On the Go’ hubs will launch The changes part of a wider cost-cutting strategy amid challenging economic conditions A major UK supermarket has confirmed when it will permanently close three popular fresh food services. Sainsbury’s first announced it was closing its remaining patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters in January as part of a major update.

Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Though no specific timeline was given at the time, a more concrete timeframe has been unveiled as part of the supermarket’s latest financial results. The news comes shortly after the closure of 61 in-store cafés on April 11 , which the supermarket said were no longer being used regularly by customers. The wider restructuring also includes cuts to head office roles, with around 20% of senior management positions set to go.

(Photo: TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Altogether, the closures of cafés and service counters are expected to result in the loss of around 3,000 jobs - about 2% of Sainsbury’s 148,000-strong workforce. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The company says the changes are part of its strategy to “simplify the business” in response to a “particularly challenging cost environment.” Read more - Sainsbury's job cuts: cafes closing at 61 UK supermarkets amid job cuts When will Sainsbury’s patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters close? Sainsbury’s confirmed it will permanently close its remaining patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters by “early summer”.

To replace the affected services, Sainsbury’s will relocate the most popular items from the patisserie, hot food, and pizza counters to its main aisles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It also plans to launch new “On the Go” hubs with “flexiserve hot food offerings” from Autumn 2025. A personalised morning news round-up with NationalWorld Today - sign up here.

Are Sainsbury’s bakeries changing? In a low-key update as part of the firm’s financial results, Sainsbury’s quietly revealed it is phasing out its scratch bakeries in favour of a "bake-off" model. In bakery terms, “bake-off” refers to a process where products are partially prepared off-site - often frozen or par-baked - and then finished in-store. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This is a shift from the scratch bakery model, where items like bread and pastries are made from raw ingredients and baked fresh on the premises each day.

Sainsbury’s says the change will drive “improvements in quality, value and availability throughout the day”, but the move may impact the freshness and variety that shoppers associate with “baked in store” goods. Bake-off systems typically reduce the need for skilled bakers and can result in more uniform products, but may lack the artisanal freshness of scratch-made items. Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at yourworld.

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