Tesco is to close its fresh food depot in Harlow, Essex, which employs 800 workers, as part of a strategic review into its distribution network.

However, Tesco is opening centres in Reading and Dagenham this summer which will create 2,000 jobs.

A Tesco spokesman said: “Colleagues at Harlow will be offered jobs at other Tesco sites, including at the sites we have confirmed today that we will be opening this summer.  Two thousand jobs will be created at those sites.”

The spokesman added that the new centres will provide it with “a better service for our customers and reduce carbon emissions across our transport network”.