Tesco announces 20,000 new jobs to meet coronavirus panic-buying demand
TESCO has announced it is recruiting 20,000 people to meet coronavirus panic-buying demand.
The supermarket is just one of several taking on around 50,000 staff between them over the next 12 weeks to cope with the surge in demand as people prepare to self isolate.
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Adsa is looking for 5,000 new staff and Lidl is recruiting 2,500.
Co-op is taking in 5,000, while Aldi has taken the opportunity to hire 5,000 temporary and 4,000 permanent new members of staff.
The best part is that most of these roles will let people start and get paid almost on the spot.
Lidl has said it will recruit 2,500 workers on four-week contracts over the coronavirus outbreak.
The grocer said recruits can start immediately and will be paid at least £9.30 an hour "to keep the store clean, tidy and the shelves well-stocked so that customers can get the products they need."
Most roles will be for the next 12 weeks, while everyone is self-isolating, but could become permanent or last as long as the virus does.
Permanent roles include in stores, head office and logistics, while the temporary jobs will be in stores and distribution centres with an immediate start date.
Aldi adds that temporary roles could become permanent.
Meanwhile, Asda is taking on 5,000 temporary employees.
Both say staff will help replenish stock more quickly and provide additional assistance to customers.
Asda adds that it is working with more than 20 national companies in food services and travel industries to take on staff in need of work.
At Asda, workers will be offered shifts or temporary roles, the supermarket said, to help other companies that have been hard hit by the virus.
Current workers at the supermarket - which is owned by US supermarket giant Walmart - are being encouraged to recruit people on social media, as well as friends and family.
Asda is also asking restaurant and cafe workers who have been made redundant elsewhere to come and work at stores, with an aim to reopen its own deli and pizza counters.
Meanwhile at Aldi, all new recruits will earn a minimum of £9.30 an hour nationally or £10.90 an hour if they are working at a store or distribution centre in London.
Aldi's recruitment director, Kelly Stokes said: "We have a huge number of roles to fill across the business so we’re encouraging everyone who has been affected by COVID-19’s impact on the economy to explore our available roles and see if we can get you back into work.”
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Chief executive and president of Asda, Roger Burnley, said: “During these difficult times everyone has to work together to help people most affected by Covid-19 and Asda is pleased to play its part.
"That is why today we have committed to hiring more than 5,000 employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and have been left with deep concerns about their household budgets."
He added: “Where we can provide opportunities for employment, even short term, to help people through this period, we want to play our part. And where we are able to reduce the strain on our smaller suppliers and tenants – we will do so.”
Where to find supermarket jobs
- Co-op jobs are going here
- To get a job at Lidl it's
- Morrisons jobs can be found here:
- To apply at Tesco go to
- If you want to apply for a job at Asda, visit .
- You can also apply for jobs at Aldi via its .
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It comes after Co-op announced yesterday it was taking on 5,000 workers to help replenish stock.
Morrisons also created 3,500 jobs to help expand home deliveries to get groceries to vulnerable people.
The rush to the stores led to shoppers in the first week of March.