A supermarket chain owned by Amazon is due to shut its distribution centre in Kent.

Whole Foods Market is planning to cease operations at its Dartford depot in addition to closing two of its central London stores.

The upmarket grocer, which is owned by e-commerce giants Amazon and deals in organic and plant-based produce, is looking to wind down work at its distribution warehouse in Sandpit Road.

Despite the closures and potential job losses, the US retailer said it was still working to “expand its footprint” in the UK.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: “The proposed changes to our UK operations will pave the way for our growth here in the UK.

“They will allow us to invest in enhancing the customer and team member experience as we expand our footprint to serve more customers and communities in the U.K.

“We are actively exploring new sites and look forward to opening more stores, including a new location on Chelsea’s King’s Road, which is expected to open next year.”

The spokeswoman also confirmed the company will follow the statutory consultation process with team members whose roles are affected by the proposed changes.

If a decision is made to move forward with these proposals, she said they would work to minimise impact to staff including exploring alternate employment opportunities within the company. However, nothing has been officially decided at this time.

Jade Hoai, director of purchasing and distribution, said: “We are constantly reviewing our offering at Whole Foods Market to ensure we are providing our customers the best experience possible.

“We want to ensure we remain a trusted location for shoppers to come and do their weekly shop, knowing that all products in-store have passed our rigorous quality standards.

“All products will be competitively priced with major retailers, allowing customers to come in-store and shop their favourite, household brands and still leave with a value-led basket of quality products.”