Sainsbury’s has announced that it will cut up to 3,500 jobs as the company announced that it plans to close about 420 standalone Argos stores by March 2024, although it would open 150 more outlets in Sainsbury’s stores.

Jobs will also go in the supermarkets with the closure of its delicatessens and fresh fish and meat counters.

“We are talking to colleagues today about where the changes we are announcing in Argos standalone stores and food counters impact their roles,” said Simon Roberts, Sainsbury’s chief executive.

“We will work really hard to find alternative roles for as many of these colleagues as possible and expect to be able to offer alternative roles for the majority of impacted colleagues.”