Type
Business expansion
Country
United Kingdom
Region
Location of affected unit(s)
Sector
Retail
Retail Trade, Except Of Motor Vehicles And Motorcycles
Retail Sale Via Stalls And Markets Or Other
47.91 - Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet

5,000 jobs
Number of planned job creations
Job creation
Announcement Date
20 February 2017
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date
31 December 2017

Description

Online retailer Amazon has announced plans to recruit a further 5,000 workers across its UK operations in 2017. The latest round of jobs will bring Amazon's workforce to 24,000. The new jobs will be spread across the UK including at the new headquarters in London's Shoreditch, the customer service centre in Edinburgh and the company's numerous warehouses across the country. Positions available include jobs in software development and in warehousing. The new jobs have, in part, been made possible by the rapid expansion activity through third-party retailers, who use Amazon's infrastructure for web selling and for deliveries. 

The latest decision has been seen by some as underlining Amazon's commitment to the UK following the decision to leave the European Union. Despite Amazon's rapid rise the company has attracted criticism of both its tax arrangements and the working conditions of staff.

The announcement is part of plans to create up to 15,000 jobs in Europe during 2017.

Updated, 27/04/2017; Amazon has announced that it is to create 1,200 jobs when it opens its new warehouse in Warrington, which will be one of four 'fulfilment centres' which it will open in 2017. Roles in operational and management positions will be made available. By the end of 2017 Amazon will have 15 fulfilment centres operating across the UK.

Updated, 04/05/2017; Amazon has announced that it is to create 400 jobs when it opens a development centre in Cambridge in the autumn of 2017. The centre will concentrate on developing the company's Prime Air service which is used to get deliveries to customers quicker using new drone technology. The positions available in the new centre in Cambridge will be for specialist scientists and engineers to develop the new technologies. 


Sources

  • 20 February 2017: BBC Website
  • 20 February 2017: Reuters
  • 20 February 2017: The Bookseller
  • 27 April 2017: Insider Media

Citation

Eurofound (2017), Amazon, Business expansion in United Kingdom, factsheet number 90649, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/90649.