Ocado Group has confirmed it is slashing around 5% of its global workforce. The axe will fall mostly on UK staff, with two-thirds of job losses hitting the firm’s Hatfield, Hertfordshire HQ.
£150M Savings by Slashing R&D
The Ocado-Marks & Spencer joint venture plans to scale back research and development to trim £150 million from its technology and support bills by 2026. The restructure will merge Ocado Solutions and Ocado Intelligent Automation into one streamlined division.
CEO Tim Steiner said: “Regrettably, this means a significant number of roles will no longer be required. We are grateful to colleagues affected and will support them through this process.”
UK High Street Faces Rough 2026
Ocado’s cuts come amid a turbulent start to 2026 for the UK high street. Major retailers like River Island, Primark, and Poundland have already shut stores. Hospitality giant The Revel Collective closed 21 bars in January, costing 591 jobs after falling into administration.
- Several other retailers and four travel companies have also folded recently.
- Tesco announced 380 store job cuts.
- Morrisons is reportedly selling off some in-store pharmacies to save cash.
Some Bright Spots on the High Street
Not all doom and gloom. Aldi, M&S, Superdrug, and Lidl are planning new store openings in 2026, offering a glimmer of hope for shoppers and workers alike.
Which shop closure has hit you the hardest? Tell us in the comments below.
More news from Hatfield
