Supermarkets create 32,000 jobs in 2011

32,000 jobs are to be created by the UK's biggest supermarket chains this year, with more stores than ever before opening nation-wide.

Yesterday Sainsbury’s announced plans to create 20,000 jobs over the next three years, with 6,500 starting in 2011. They are targeting this growth in Scotland and Wales in a bid to match larger rivals Asda and Tesco.

Tesco,  already the biggest private sector employer in the UK with 287,669 staff, is set to employ a further 9,000 with its expansion of 292 stores in the next two years.

Asda is looking for 7,500 staff for its new stores and to increase staff-levels at the Netto stores it acquired last year. The smallest chain in the sector Waitrose is creating 3,000 new jobs.

Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive of industry expert IGD, said: "Despite the tough economic conditions, the UK food and grocery market is proving resilient. It is growing at a rate of 3.1% and will be worth over £180bn by 2015."