Tesco is launching a new recruitment scheme to put its staff’s unemployed family and friends in temporary Christmas jobs.

The retailer is creating 6,000 temporary jobs through the scheme, according to a statement released today (12 October). Almost 20% of Tesco employees have a friend or family member who has been made unemployed in the last 12 months.

The campaign to recruit through stores will take place across October and new recruits will be working in stores throughout December to help deal with the busiest shopping period of the year.

“Of course all the new staff will have to go through our normal selection process,” the statement said.

Lorna Bryson, head of resourcing - UK operations for Tesco, says: “This year we want to give extra support to our staff’s friends and families over the festive period.

“By offering these temporary roles we hope to provide our staff and their relatives with extra help, supporting those who have been most affected by the economic downturn. Our existing staff and their families will have a little bit extra to spend on making the most of the Christmas celebrations.”