Tesco announces plans to axe 1,700 jobs nationwide

The supermarket chain says the cuts will help 'simplify' the company across the UK and Ireland.

It is not yet clear where the cuts will fall geographically or in terms of staff roles.

Matt Davies, who heads up Tesco UK and Ireland, said: "These changes remove complexity and will deliver a simpler, more helpful experience for colleagues and customers.

"We recognise these are difficult changes to make but they are necessary to ensure our business remains competitive and set up for the future.

"Our priority now is to support affected colleagues through these changes in any way we can. We hope to retain as many colleagues as possible in the new roles we have created and in the vacancies we currently have available."