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Morrisons Opens Consultation to Shut Wakefield Rathbones Bakery, Putting 115 Jobs at Risk

The company cites sustained losses following falling volumes, cost inflation, the loss of a major third-party customer.

Overview

  • Staff were briefed on 5 January and the statutory consultation on the proposed closure began immediately.
  • Up to about 115 roles at the Wakefield manufacturing site are at risk, with any redundancies dependent on the consultation outcome.
  • Morrisons reports a sharp decline in volumes and sales after losing a large third-party contract, with higher costs and renewed inflation weakening competitiveness.
  • The bakery was restructured in early 2025 with more than 100 voluntary redundancies and a pivot to specialist morning goods, yet losses continued.
  • The retailer says it cannot see a path to breakeven and will look for alternative roles for affected colleagues within the Myton Group.