Sainsbury’s Job Cuts Just the Start as Costs Soar in UK Retail

Britain’s retailers face having to cut more jobs, drive harder bargains with labor unions and stagger pay increases to absorb the shock tax rises in the government’s revenue-raising budget that kick in this year.

J Sainsbury Plc, the country’s second-largest grocer, set the tone on Thursday when it announced 3,000 roles would go — including a 20% reduction in senior management — and that of all its remaining in-store cafes will close.