Departments that may lose staff include Asda’s petrol stations, bakeries and clothing brand George, as well as its back office, it told C+D today (October 29).

While the supermarket is consulting on cutting up to 2,500 jobs in those areas, it stressed that this is not a final figure.

The potential changes “would allow us to do a better job for our customers”, it said in a statement, acknowledging that the discussions “aren’t easy”.

“In a competitive retail market…we must always look at how we can work more quickly and efficiently for [customers] – and inevitably, that means we need to consider changing the roles we need our colleagues to do.”

In April, Asda confirmed it was preparing for a planned merger with Sainsbury’s. The merger will require approval by the Competition and Markets Authority watchdog following an investigation that launched in August.

Asda today reaffirmed that its 255 pharmacies “remain an important part” of its offering and that it has no plans to follow Sainsbury's lead by selling off its pharmacy business.