Amazon has entered consultations to shut down three of its warehouse locations in Britain, the company confirmed Tuesday. The warehouses in Doncaster, Hemel Hempstead and Gourock will be shut down this year.

Approximately 1,200 workers will be affected by the shutdowns, but Amazon said all of them will be offered positions at other locations.

Two new warehouses will open in Peddimore and Stockton-on-Tees in the next three years and create up to 2,500 new jobs, Amazon said.

Earlier this month Amazon announced they would lay off more than 18,000 workers in the United States, but the company said the shutdown of British facilities is unrelated to the layoffs.

Amazon saw a surge in business during the COVID-19 pandemic but has struggled to maintain pandemic-level sales as customers return to retail outlets. Over the past year Amazon has lost 46% of its stock value on the Nasdaq index.

The GMB Union, which represents many warehouse workers, called the move a "kick in the teeth," and is expected to go ahead with a strike at Amazon's Coventry warehouse on Jan. 25.

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