Vacuum cleaner and fan manufacturer Dyson will reportedly slash 900 of its 14,000 jobs globally as the coronavirus changes the way that consumers shop.

About 600 positions will be cut from Dyson’s U.K. operations, which has about 4,000 workers, a company spokesperson told Bloomberg in an email. The spokesperson also said that job reduction will be focused on its retail and customer service staff.

"The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated changes in consumer behavior and therefore requires changes in how we engage with our customers and how we sell our products," the company also said, according to Reuters.

Dyson, which ended its plans to venture into the electric car business earlier this year, has seen customer behavior change during the coronavirus pandemic, moving it to realign how it engages with consumers and sells its products to them, the spokesperson said.

Dyson has reopened its demo stores amid the coronavirus pandemic but has kept its service centers closed until further notice, its website said. The company said that consumers can still shop for Dyson products on its website and will receive free delivery on any machine they buy from it.

The company is the latest retailer to lay off workers as the coronavirus shifts how consumers shop. More brick-and-mortar stores are closing as retailers across the nation file for bankruptcy and look to optimize their store fleet.

Recently, Nordstrom, Sephora, JC Penney, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Macy’s have cut their staff size after furloughing workers during the pandemic as their stores were temporarily closed because of stay-at-home orders for nonessential businesses.

British industrial design engineer James Dyson said his company's electric car project was not commercially viable
British industrial design engineer James Dyson said his company's electric car project was not commercially viable AFP / Christophe ARCHAMBAULT
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