All the supermarket changes set to hit shoppers this year including fee trial and bakeries being axed

SUPERMARKETS are set to make some major changes in 2025, from ditching bakeries to new fees.

The UK retail market is highly competitive, but it means chains are constantly having to innovate to pull in customers.

From loyalty card changes to shaking up store layouts, here is everything you can expect this year.

Sainsbury's ditching counters and bakeries

One of the UK's biggest supermarkets is axing all remaining patisserie, bakery, rotisserie and pizza counters in its bigger branches.

It has also laid out plans to shut 61 in-store cafes by the end of Spring, subject to consultation, and axe 3,000 staff from head office.

The overhaul comes as Sainsbury's faces what chief executive Simon Roberts described as a "challenging cost environment".

The counters will be ditched from stores and replaced with areas selling gluten-free and dairy-free products.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury's is likely to replace the cafes with restaurants run by franchises, such as Starbucks and Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

Tesco job cuts to hit bakeries

Tesco is cutting 400 roles across its stores and head office in a bid to cut costs.

This includes, reportedly, staff who work at in-store bakeries, as the retailer looks to move away from staff baking goods.

However, the chain said customers will still be able to access all the usual baked goods including its Finest range.

Jobs at Tesco Mobile and head office roles are also set to be cut, .

Aldi pre-payment fee

German retailer Aldi has introduced a £10 charge at a one-of-a-kind branch, but the move has left shoppers frustrated.

The "pre-authorisation" charge at the Shop and Go store in Greenwich, London, is applied to all customers entering.

Customers tapping their card at the entrance or generating a QR code through the app are automatically charged £10 before being allowed inside.

A refund is issued if they spend less than £10 - but the timing depends on the customers's bank or card provider and some shoppers have reported being charged multiple times if they accidentally press the app button more than once.

Aldi defended the pre-payment charge trial, saying in most cases refunds were processed within 48 hours.

Asda loyalty scheme shake-up

Asda has ditched Star Products on its loyalty scheme as of today as shoppers threatened to boycott the supermarket over the change.

Customers buying Star Products used to earn 10% cashback of the price into their Cashpot, with shoppers then able to use any accumulated savings to get money off a future shop.

It's understood the move has been made ahead of a major shake-up that is expected to see its biggest Rollback price reductions in years.

Asda has also ditched its promise to match prices at rival supermarkets Aldi and Lidl.

Tesco changes to delivery and click and collect

The UK's biggest supermarket is shaking up its deliveries and click and collect service by opening up more slots across 400 larger stores.

The retailer previously offered same-day delivery between 7pm and 11pm, meaning customers could do their online food shop earlier in the day and select a time between those hours for it to be dropped off.

But it has brought this time forward so you can now get your basket delivered as early as 1pm.

Same-day click and collect has also been brought forward to 12pm from 4pm before, while it will still end at 8pm.

Morrisons to axe staff

Morrisons joined Sainsbury's and Tesco earlier this month when it said it will make hundreds of staff redundant.