Supermarket giant Morrisons is set to reverse a previous cost-cutting decision by reinstating its in-store Market Street meat and fish counters at select locations, following customer demand. The move comes after the chain closed 35 meat and 35 fish counters at various locations nationwide last year, alongside 52 cafes, 13 florists, four pharmacies and all 18 branches of its Market Kitchen format.
Customer Demand Drives Reversal
The decision to close the counters had sparked criticism from shoppers. At the time, Morrisons stated that the selected locations were loss-making. However, the retailer has now confirmed it is reintroducing Market Street counters at chosen stores, maintaining the "traditional" staffed service while modernising them with flatbeds and additional grab-and-go choices. The revamp will also introduce features such as digital ordering screens at pizza counters.
Morrisons revealed it has substantially enhanced the waste yield from its counters in the year following the closures, making them more cost-effective to operate.
Part of Morrisons' DNA
"Our Market Street counters are part of our DNA," a spokesman for the supermarket told The Grocer. "They are at the heart of our offer and a real differentiator for Morrisons." The spokesperson explained the supermarket had "closed a small number of meat and fish counters last year - and have learned a lot from that." "We have listened to customers and are now planning to reopen a number of these over the coming months," they said.
Phased Reopenings Underway
The Market Street counters will reopen in stages, with a handful set to resume trading each month. Several locations have already seen their counters reopen, including Great Park in Newcastle, Herne Bay, Thornbury and Yeadon in Leeds, with further reopenings confirmed by Morrisons. The supermarket giant has yet to disclose exactly how many of the 70 shuttered counters will be brought back into operation.
No Plans for Other Closed Services
Notably, the chain has no plans to reopen any of the cafes, florists, Market Kitchen outlets or pharmacies that were previously shut down. The announcement comes as the supermarket confirms the initial round of closures, following the news that 100 sites are set to close their doors.
