Tesco Superstore in Lewisham. Pic: Nina Lecourt

Tesco’s Lewisham superstore is to have its opening hours reduced following a decision by the retail giant’s head office that 76 of its UK stores will no longer offer 24-hour shopping.

Tesco announced on Friday January 29 that branches in Lewisham, Woolwich and Orpington, having previously offered 24/7 opening, would now be closed between midnight and 6am.

Staff will still be working overnight to replenish stock while the store is closed. Tesco said the impact of the changes on its staff would be “minimal”.

A Tesco spokesperson told Eastlondonlines: “The trading hour change will have minimal impact on colleagues working in the stores. Those colleagues that are affected by the change will be supported to find alternative roles, either within the store or within another local store, if this is what they would like to do.”

The supermarket chain said that online shopping had reduced the number of costumers shopping at night in general and that the Lewisham Road branch “saw very few customers during the night”.

Since 1996, over 400 Tesco stores in the UK have operated for 24 hours a day.

Tesco Retail Director Tony Hoggett said: “It makes much more sense for colleagues at those stores to focus on replenishing the shelves instead and making sure they’re fully stocked when they open their doors at 6am.

“We’ll continue to make changes in store in ways that will make shopping at Tesco a better experience for our customers, at the times they want to shop,” he added.

The reduced opening hours will take effect between March 14 and April 11, 2016.