Wm Morrison Supermarkets -- the fifth-largest retailer in the UK -- has announced a move to close various in-store functions, including fish counters.

As the retailer -- owned by US private equity Clayton, Dubilier & Rice -- enters the second year of its "program of renewal," it is making a "number of changes and adjustments to its stores and operations to accelerate growth, to optimize its operations and to help mitigate recent significant cost increases," it said.

Rami Baitieh, CEO of Morrisons. Photo: Morrisons.

The company has proposed closing 35 fish counters, as well as 52 in-store cafes, 17 convenience stores, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, four pharmacies and all 18 of its "market kitchens."

Morrisons said it had identified these as areas where operating expenses significantly exceed usage, sales volume, or customer demand.

Despite the broad scope of these changes, Morrisons expects to redeploy most affected employees into alternative roles within the company. However, approximately 365 employees face potential redundancy.

Morrisons CEO Rami Baitieh emphasized that these changes are essential for the supermarket's long-term competitiveness.

"The changes we are announcing today are a necessary part of our plans to renew and reinvigorate Morrisons and enable us to focus our investment into the areas that customers really value, and that can play a full part in our growth," he said.

While the supermarket remains committed to its fresh food counters under its "Market Street" brand, it aims to modernize and partner with third-party specialists where direct operation proves unsustainable.