New Morrisons boss wants shoppers’ views

Mr Potts joined the Bradford-headquartered grocer yesterday and is seeking views from shoppers on the supermarket’s future.

In a video set to launch today, Mr Potts addresses customers directly to ask for feedback on what customers want.

Mr Potts says he wants to listen to “as many customers and staff as I can”.

He says: “I want to know what you love, what you want less of and what you need more of.”

The video, which will be posted through the retailer’s Facebook page, will include links to send comments directly to Mr Potts, a Morrisons spokesman said.

The retail boss, who has 40 years’ experience with rival Tesco, visited the supermarket’s head office on his first day to canvass colleagues and management.

He has already visited lots of stores and is planning to spend time working in store in the coming weeks, the spokesman said.

“He will be spending a lot of time listening,” he added.

Mr Potts was appointed to lead the business following the resignation of former chief executive Dalton Philips in January.

He previously worked as retail director for Tesco UK, before becoming chief executive in Ireland and finally heading up its Asia business.

Mr Potts joined Morrisons days after a disappointing set of results which revealed losses of £792m in the year to February 1.

The business last week confirmed it would close 23 stores, as like-for-like sales fell 5.9 per cent and underlying profit dropped 52 per cent to £345m.

Speaking after the results, chairman Andrew Higginson said Morrisons was a “strong, distinctive business” in a tough sector.