Tesco has started laying off the first wave of the 45,000 temporary workers it hired at the height of the coronavirus crisis.

In one store, 80pc of the new staff were given seven days' notice on Saturday as thousands of newly created roles face the axe.

Some staff argue that the cuts are arbitrary. One employee, who worked in a restaurant in Gloucestershire before the outbreak took hold, was told the job at Tesco would be for 12 weeks.

“I worked really hard for six weeks, but it didn’t matter. I have three children to look after and a family. To suddenly have that taken away from you early was a shock. Tesco do have to cut jobs, I get that. But it feels like they have no guidance who to get rid of.”

The supermarket chain, alongside all the major grocers, embarked on a hiring spree to cope with demand.

It employed shopfloor staff, drivers and warehouse workers as shoppers descended on supermarkets to buy pasta, tinned goods and lavatory rolls.

As the nation went into lockdown Tesco's home delivery service was also overwhelmed, with chief executive Dave Lewis asking customers to shop in store if possible.

Now that the initial stockpiling craze has calmed down Tesco and other supermarket chains will need fewer staff in both stores and depots.