FULLERTON, Calif. — The Southern California division of Supervalu Inc.’s Albertsons grocery says it will eliminate between 2,200 and 2,500 store-level jobs by the end of June.

The Southern California division of Supervalu Inc.’s Albertsons grocery says it will eliminate between 2,200 and 2,500 store-level jobs by the end of June.

The cuts, which represent about 13% of the company’s workforce, will be spread over all 247 Albertsons stores in California and Nevada.

"A decision of this nature is never easy, but it is the necessary step for us to take to help improve our business and accelerate our turnaround," Southern California division president Dan Sanders says.

"Our goal is to more effectively serve the marketplace by scheduling associates more appropriately to serve customers at the times they shop. I am confident that our team will embrace these changes and help us to compete more effectively in a rapidly changing marketplace."

Sanders says the cuts are part of a broader strategy to make Albertsons more competitive.

In February, the company reduced the size of the staff in its store support center here.

"While Albertsons’ commitment to the neighborhoods it serves remains the same, the need for change is clear," a spokeswoman says. "While the division has experienced a reduction in traffic and an overall decline in sales, it has not made the necessary adjustments to its store-level operations."