Hundreds of jobs at risk at Sainsbury’s depot

Sainsbury’s is to leave its distribution site in Stone in a move that puts 275 jobs at risk.

The supermarket giant is taking a 325,000 sq ft frozen food distribution centre, which is currently being built next to its existing distribution centre by the M1 motorway near Northampton.

Sainsbury’s described the move as “vital to the success of our distribution network”.

The future of the frozen food depot at Stone, in Staffordshire, is now uncertain with its owner and operator, XPO Logistics, consulting staff and looking for a solution.

Sainsbury’s is only expected to withdraw from the site in 2019, once its Northampton facility is completed.

It is the second blow in two months for Staffordshire’s logistics sector after Argos announced it will relocate operations from its Acton Gate site to Bedford and Darlington.