Cupar, Cowdenbeath and Crieff are among 49 planned new Tesco store developments that will now not go ahead.
New Tesco boss Dave Lewis wielded the axe on Thursday as he announced 43 store closures even as his shake-up of the supermarket showed signs of stemming a sales slide.
Staff at Britain’s biggest supermarket will also be hit by the closure of the group’s final salary pension scheme.
Dave Lewis, Tesco chief executive officer, said: “It is with a heavy heart that I am today announcing that we are unable to proceed with 49 planned new store developments across the UK, including planned stores in Cupar and Crieff.
“I know that this news will be a real disappointment to many people in the local community and we’re extremely grateful for the support we’ve received for our plans.
“I am very aware of the importance of the site to the area and I am determined that we will work closely with Fife Council and Perth and Kinross Council to find the right solution for the local community.”
The scrapping of plans to redevelop Cupar’s South Road store, and sell a landbanked site for housing, saw Cupar councillor Bryan Poole ask for a “categoric assurance” that the existing Cupar store is not one of those stores “up for closure”.
He said: “This has indeed been a long drawn out and sorry saga. I do feel that Tesco have not behaved well in relation to Cupar, creating uncertainty amongst current small business and, because of the constant threat of a large new store discouraging new retail investors from setting up in the town.”
Cowdenbeath MSP Alex Rowley said the news the much-anticipated Tesco store at the northern end of Cowdenbeath High Street would not now go ahead was “certainly very disappointing”.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, has expressed disappointment at the news that Tesco have cancelled the proposed development in Crieff.
“Questions now need to be answered over the future development of the site,” she said.