Tesco 'is set to axe' remaining butchers and fishmongers in 279 stores

End of an era? Tesco ‘is set to axe’ its remaining butchers and fishmongers in 279 stores as shoppers opt for pre-packed items – after Sainsbury’s, Asda and Aldi scrapped fresh food counters

• The iconic fresh food counters could now be consigned to the history books
• Until now Tesco had retained 279 of the deli and fishmonger sections in store 
• But after canning off 300 earlier this year it has been reported the rest are at risk
• Refused to deny reports, insisting it ‘never comments on rumour or speculation’

Supermarket giant Tesco has refused to deny it is poised to put its in-house butcher and fishmonger on ice following a fall in interest.

The Every Little Helps chain today would not comment on reports the specialist food areas were to be canned.

It has been claimed the 279 fresh food counters still left in the UK stores will be shut down to cut costs.

If true it will mean none of the so-called ‘big four’ – which is made up of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Aldi – will offer the service.

It was claimed the 279 fresh food counters still left in the UK stores will be shut to cut costs

Tesco already this year announced more than 300 delis would be shut down but had kept 279

Tesco already this year announced more than 300 delis would be shut down, bringing an end to years of fresh cuts of meat and weighed out pies or cheese.

A spokeswoman would not address the reports, telling MailOnline: ‘I’m afraid we never comment on rumour or speculation.’

Data cited by the Telegraph suggests consumers no longer use deli counters. 

Retail analytics firm IGD has done a survey that shows less than 10 per cent of shoppers visited supermarket fresh food counters at the end of 2021.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg looks pensively at a fishmonger in a Tesco in 2013

Richard Hyman, an independent retail consultant, said: “I view it negatively, because it is withdrawing from an area of business – service – where British super markets could offer true differentiation.

“But if you are going to do something in retail, you need to do it well, and doing it in a mediocre fashion, simply as an excuse to charge higher prices, will just result in the sort of reaction from shoppers that we have seen.

“There is [a] market for fresh food, and during the cost of living crisis, I think we are going to see people eating out less and cooking from home more often, so the kind of variety these counters can offer may be something that is more in demand.

“But you need to believe in your offer and put investment behind it.

“Tesco is never going to outprice Aldi and Lidl, so you need to give customers a reason to shop with you.”

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