Vacuum cleaner giant Dyson is cutting hundreds of jobs as it speeds up restructuring plans as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Around 600 jobs will be lost in the UK and 300 in the rest of the world.

The company said impacted staff are in retail and customer service roles, adding it was working to redeploy people to alternative jobs where possible.

A Dyson spokesman said: “The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated changes in consumer behaviour and therefore requires changes in how we engage with our customers and how we sell our products.

“We are evolving our organisation and reflecting these changes to make us faster, more agile, and better able to grow sustainably.

“We are fully supporting those who are impacted, finding alternative roles where possible.”

Dyson employs 14,000 people globally, of which more than 4,000 are in the UK.

The company said it has not furloughed any staff or drawn on public money to support jobs anywhere in the world during the pandemic.

Consumer habits have changed in recent months, with more people shopping online.

The biggest impact is expected to be on Dyson’s head office in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Staff were given details of the redundancies on Thursday.