Supervalu said last week it will lay off 100 members of its IT Infrastructure Services staff companywide this fall, accelerating a plan for cutbacks it had originally scheduled to take place over the next 18 months.

Explaining the rationale behind the staff cuts, company spokeswoman Haley Meyer told Progressive Grocer, "Given the current economic situation impacting consumer behavior as well as operational expenses, Supervalu is continuously re-examining cost-saving efforts and eliminating redundancies across the company.

"As with any decision affecting employees, this action was taken only after careful consideration," Meyer added. She said the company is offering employee assistance and outplacement services to all affected associates.

The cuts follows a similar move in June, when Supervalu laid off 80 employees in its finance department in Boise.

Of the 100 layoffs, roughly 25 will be made in Boise, while the remainder will come primarily from the company's corporate headquarters in Minnesota.