A UK supermarket giant is set to close its doors for over 100 stores, cafes, florists and pharmacies in 2025, in a huge blow to customers. Morrisons is the fifth largest supermarket chain in the UK and in 2021 boasted a total of 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Scotland, as well as a store in Gibraltar. In the same year, the chain employed 110,000 employees and served around 11 million customers each week.
However, 2025 will see the closure of a whopping 103 daily stores, cafes, florists and pharmacies across the country, from Kent in the south east of England to Somerset and Devon in the west and even as far north as Scotland. The majority of the 17 daily convenience store closures have already taken place, with shops shutting up for the final time in April. However, the worst is yet to come, as Morrisons has publicly confirmed that it will close 51 cafés, 13 florists, four pharmacies and all 18 Market Kitchens in 2025. The closure programme was to be implemented "over the next few months" following the March 2025 announcement.
Some staff working at these services will be redeployed elsewhere in the business, Morrisons said. The supermarket chain said the cuts were necessary because "costs of operations are significantly out of line with usage, volumes or the value that customers place on them". "A minority have specific local challenges and in those locations, regrettably, closure and re-allocation of the space is the only sensible option," Morrisons' chief executive Rami Baitieh said.
A total of 17 Daily Store closures have been announced in 2025. All bar one closed on April 16, apart from the Haxby branch in North Yorkshire, which closed less than a month later on May 14. Included in those shops shutting their doors for the final time were the Daily Stores in Poole (Dorset), Exeter (Devon), and Bath (Somerset).
Despite shuttering 51 of its cafes, Morrisons said this offering "has a bright future" in most locations. Where some cafes are closing, the supermarket said it planned to work with "third parties to provide a relevant specialist offer". In 2021, there were 406 Morrisons cafes.
Morrisons' Market Kitchen was an in-store dining concept introduced to offer freshly prepared meals in a supermarket setting. These kitchens featured various food counters, each specialising in different cuisines and meal options. However, all 18 Market Kitchen locations will close in 2025 as part of the plans to streamline operations.
In his statement, Morrisons' Chief Executive, Rami Baitiéh, described these changes as a "necessary part of our plans to renew and reinvigorate" the chain, allowing the company to focus on areas that "customers really value".
Morrisons introduced its in-store florists as part of the Market Street concept, which began in 2009. This initiative aimed to bring specialist, craft-based departments - including butchers, bakers, fishmongers, and florists - into Morrisons stores. In 2020, the chain expanded its florist offerings by doubling the number of professionals in its stores to 300 and adding 60 new stations across the UK. However, in 2023, Morrisons began to scale back its operations.
The Express has contacted Morrisons for comment.
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