Australian supermarket giant Coles has confirmed plans to move several head office jobs to India after extending its partnership with Accenture.

The move was outlined in an email from chief executive Leah Weckert, according to the Australian Financial Review (AFR), which first reported the development.

The AFR’s report said up to 1,000 back-office roles could be transferred through Accenture. A number of those positions are also expected to be handled by the company in Australia.

In the message seen by the publication, Weckert said: “We recognise the impact this has on individuals and our wider team, and these decisions are never made lightly.”

The outsourcing plan covers corporate functions, including marketing, finance, human resources and technology.

Coles said the changes would be introduced over time as more internal processes are moved to Accenture. Most of the affected work is set to go to India.

The company has named the initiative the SSC Future Capability Program. Staff were told the programme is intended to improve access to skills, capability and technology while also supporting efficiency and cutting costs.

Coles said: “Maintaining our cost leadership is critical in this increasingly competitive environment. It ensures we can continue to reinvest in the areas that create the greatest value for our customers.”

Weckert also wrote: “By drawing on Accenture’s expertise and sources, we can unlock access to the world-class future capability we need including skills, resources and talent to better support our functions, modernise our technology and accelerate the use of AI.”

A Coles spokesman told the AFR: “To meet our customers’ growing expectations for seamless, personalised, digital experiences, Coles needs access to the global skills and resources essential to delivering those experiences.”

The spokesman added that Coles expected to create hundreds of roles as it opens new stores.

Coles did not provide further comment on the agreement or disclose how many jobs would be affected in its support operations.

The retailer said shop-floor employees would not be part of the changes.

The development comes as Woolworths is pursuing a similar strategy, with hundreds of roles being moved to India and other parts of Southeast Asia.