Asda has axed hundreds of jobs at its head office in Leeds and a further site in Leicester as part of a cost-cutting drive to help it adapt to the challenging operating conditions and changing shopper behaviour.

Around 300 roles have been cut with affected staff told yesterday that they were losing their jobs.  Meanwhile, a further 800 of Asda’s 2,500 head office workers have had their job descriptions changed as part of the shake-up.

A spokesperson for the company said: “In recent years, the competitive landscape in retail has changed significantly and Asda has been no different. Our stores have adapted the way they operate to meet the changing needs of our customers, and our home offices must also adapt how they operate to support our stores.”

They added: “The changes are in response to the ever changing sector in which we’re working and the need to adapt to create an agile business which is fit for the future.”

Asda’s decision to shake-up its office functions follows similar moves in recent years by the big four supermarket multiples as they battle the rise of discounters and online retailers.

Asda recently reported its first quarterly like-for-like sales growth for three years amidst a turnaround plan being led by new chief executive, Sean Clarke. However, its results for last yearwere its worst since it was taken over by Walmart in 1999 with pre-tax profits tumbling 18.8% to £791.7m on the back of dismal sales performance.

Last month, it was reported that Asda was planning to cut the working hours of thousands of store staff, or even eliminate their positions, as part of its cost-cutting plans.