The supermarket giant has announced changes to the way it runs its Express branches, with 1,700 deputy managers to be replaced with 3,300 new ‘shift leader’ roles. A spokesperson for Tesco said the new structure is ‘part of a wider programme of transformation to meet customer needs in a rapidly changing retail sector’. This week about 1,700 deputy managers will begin consultation and will be offered new shift leader positions or alternative roles in other Tesco stores. Tesco currently operates more than 1,800 Express stores across the UK. Tracey Clements, managing director of convenience at Tesco said, “To help improve our service to customers in our Express stores we are aiming to have more of our colleagues on the shop floor, more often. “To help achieve this we are creating more than 3,300 shift leader roles which, in turn, means we will no longer have deputy managers. “We appreciate that these changes will impact our deputy manager colleagues, and will do everything we can to support them throughout this period.” The company says the changes will result in a net increase of around 1,500 roles.