GRAND RAPIDS, MI. - Retail giant Meijer Inc. has eliminated 500 managerial jobs as part of a restructuring of its supercenters.
Spokeswoman Stacie Behler said Friday that 500 managers were given severance packages, while others were relocated to other Meijer stores and assigned different positions.
Meijer announced three weeks ago that it was restructuring how its 180 Midwest stores operate and serve customers. The process was completed within the past week, Behler said.
The number of jobs eliminated at each supercenter in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky were about the same, she said.
Company officials interviewed 4,200 managers at its supercenters across the Midwest, the Grand Rapids Press reported Friday.
Behler said Meijer recognized it didn't need as many managers after reviewing the size and volumes of each supercenter.
The Grand Rapids-based retailer has about 65,000 employees, including 8,000 in West Michigan. Corporate and hourly workers were not affected by the restructuring.
Behler said Meijer wanted the right people in certain roles as it competes in the retail market, primarily with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (nyse: WMT - news - people ) Wal-Mart is building supercenters throughout the Midwest.
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