Several Tesco stores across Suffolk are set to be stripped of 24 hour opening times from March, as part of a nationwide cull by the supermarket giant.

The retailer today announced that 76 stores across the country would reduce 24 hour trading to daytime hours – including the Lowestoft Leisure Way store and the Sudbury Superstore in Woodhall Business Park.

The Maldon Tesco Extra in Essex will also see opening hours reduced.

The stores, which were previously open 24 hours, will now be closed between midnight and 6am, with changes set to be introduced between March 14 and April 11.

A statement on the firm’s website from retail director Tony Hoggett suggested the change would help stores with replenishing stocks, and cited reduced numbers of night customers as influential in the company’s decision.

“We’re always thinking about how to serve our customers better in each of our stores and with the growth of online grocery shopping, these stores saw very few customers during the night,” he added.

“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.”

Stores including those in Copdock, Ipswich, and Martlesham Heath which both operate 24 hour services were spared from the cutbacks.