Retail Giant Amazon To Add 2,500 New UK Jobs

Online retail giant Amazon is taking on 2,500 new permanent staff in Britain this year as it steps up its expansion in the UK and Europe.

The company said it had added 10,000 jobs in Europe last year to take its total workforce to 40,000 and would add thousands more in 2016.

It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) will see the number employed in the UK rise to 14,500 by the end of 2016.

Amazon said it would be hiring across the country from its London head office to its three research and development centres and ten warehouses and 24 delivery stations.

Xavier Garambois, vice president, Amazon EU retail, said: "We are seeing stronger demand than ever from our customers all across Europe, and we see lots more opportunity across Amazon's businesses to invent and invest for the future."

The firm said it had invested more than €15bn (£11.5bn) in European infrastructure and operations since 2010, including £4.6bn in the UK.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Amazon's continued investment in the UK is very welcome news and further demonstration that the UK is a great destination for innovative industries to invest and do business."

Amazon has attracted controversy over its tax affairs . Last year it emerged that the UK arm of the business paid just £11.9m in tax in 2014 while achieving sales of £5.3bn.

The wider group has also been criticised over its workplace culture. An expose last year in The New York Times set out claims that employees were treated so badly that they cry at their desks. Amazon has rebutted the allegations (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) .