Aldi and Asda to hire 14,000 staff to help with coronavirus demand

ALDI and Asda are taking on 14,000 staff between them to help with demand following the coronavirus outbreak.

Aldi has created 5,000 new temporary jobs and has 4,000 permanent vacancies currently available across all parts of it business.

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Permanent roles include in stores, head office and logistics, while the temporary jobs will be in stores and distribution centres with an immediate start date

Aldi adds that temporary roles could become permanent.

Meanwhile, Asda is taking on 5,000 temporary employees.

Both say staff will help replenish stock more quickly and provide additional assistance to customers.

Asda adds that it is working with more than 20 national companies in food services and travel industries to take on staff in need of work.

At Asda, workers will be offered shifts or temporary roles, the supermarket said, to help other companies that have been hard hit by the virus.

Current workers at the supermarket - which is owned by US supermarket giant Walmart - are being encouraged to recruit people on social media, as well as friends and family.

Aldi's recruitment director, Kelly Stokes said: "We have a huge number of roles to fill across the business so we’re encouraging everyone who has been affected by COVID-19’s impact on the economy to explore our available roles and see if we can get you back into work.”

Asda adds that it's also going to pay its small suppliers upfront and will provide a "rent free" quarter to around 250 small business tenants in its stores who are struggling to operate.