Amazon plans to close three UK warehouses, impacting 1,200 workers

LONDON — Amazon confirmed Tuesday that it has launched a consultation to adjacent 3 U.K. warehouses, wherever it employs a combined 1,200 people.

The institution whitethorn unopen down the sites astatine Hemel Hempstead, Doncaster and Gourock arsenic portion of an valuation of its web "to marque definite it fits our concern needs and to amended the acquisition of our employees and customers," a spokesperson told CNBC.

They said that each workers would beryllium offering caller roles elsewhere. It did not specify the determination of the opportunities planned for the 300 unit astatine Gourock successful occidental Scotland.

"All employees affected by tract closure consultations volition beryllium offered the accidental to transportation to different facilities, and we stay committed to our customers, employees, and communities crossed the UK," the spokesperson said. The institution plans to unfastened 2 caller fulfilment centers successful the U.K. implicit the adjacent 3 years, successful Peddimore and Stockton-on-Tees, adding 2,500 jobs.

The Amazon spokesperson added that the U.K. tract closures were not portion of the 18,000 occupation cuts that the institution announced past week. Amazon, which employs a full 75,000 radical successful the U.K., is attempting to standard backmost immoderate of the enlargement it undertook during the Covid-19 play and brace for a widely-forecast economical downturn successful 2023.

The institution has mislaid astir 46% of its worth connected the U.S. Nasdaq implicit the past year, amid a wider sell-off successful tech stocks.

Steve Garelick of the national GMB said the connection was a "kick successful the teeth" for staff, pursuing the engaged vacation period.

"Hard-up Amazon workers can't abruptly beryllium expected to up sticks and determination to a antithetic fulfilment centre which whitethorn beryllium galore miles away," helium said, accusing the steadfast of failing to supply a unchangeable employment model.

—CNBC's Ryan Browne contributed to this article.