UK grocer Morrisons to cut head office roles, boost store staff

LONDON, April 16 (Reuters) - Britain's No.4 supermarket Morrisons said on Thursday it would cut head office roles by up to 720 and at the same time add another 5,000 shop floor staff to its business to boost customer service.

Morrisons said the 5,000 staff would help improve service, increase availability and open more checkouts as the firm looks to reverse years of profit decline and market share losses.

"To support this, we need a simpler, faster and cost-conscious Head Office and that requires some tough but necessary decisions," Morrisons Chief Executive David Potts, who has already overhauled management since joining in March, said.

Staff members whose roles are being made redundant at its head office in Bradford, northern England, will be offered jobs in stores and other parts of the business. (Reporting by Neil Maidment, Editing by Paul Sandle)