Image copyright Reuters

Supermarket giant Tesco has named the 43 stores it is closing across the country, a move that will put 2,000 jobs at risk.

The company is currently informing staff at the affected stores.

The Express and Home Plus stores will close on 15 March with the Tesco Metros and Superstores on the list closing on 4 April.

Tesco warned earlier this month that 43 stores would be shut as part of plans to cut costs.

Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said the decision to close the stores was "exceptionally difficult".

"Our priority is to explain what this announcement means for our colleagues and, wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with Tesco," he added.

Superstore closures include those in Doncaster and Chatham, while the DIY and homeware Homeplus closures include stores in Edinburgh and Southampton.

In total, 18 Express, 12 Metro, seven superstores and six Homeplus stores are shutting their doors.

Troubled Tesco 43 unprofitable stores to be closed £250m of cost cuts planned

49 planned new stores to be cancelled

0.3% fall in like-for-like store sales over the six-week Christmas period PA

The move follows two successive years of falling sales and profits, and a shock accounting scandal, which saw the chain overstate its profits by some £263m.

Mr Lewis, who joined the retail giant from consumer goods firm Unilever just five months ago, has pledged to slash costs and sell assets to fund lower prices and mend Tesco's finances.

Retail union Usdaw said the store closures were "devastating news" for the 2,000 staff involved.

"Our priority is to maximise employment within Tesco, seek redeployment opportunities for members, where possible, and to keep job losses to a minimum," said Pauline Foulkes from the union.

Tesco's announcement marks a stark contrast to Tuesday's update from Waitrose that detailed plans to create 2,000 jobs in new shops and by expanding existing sites.

The retailer is opening 14 new shops from spring this year, seven of them smaller convenience outlets.

However, of the so-called "big four" supermarkets, which includes Tesco as well as Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Asda, most are shelving expansion plans or even closing stores.

In November, Sainsbury's said it was scrapping plans for new stores, while Morrissons plans to close 10 loss-making stores this year.

Tesco store closures

Tesco Express stores:

Bearwood

Belvedere

Church Street Ballymena

Heaton Chapel

Heybridge Essex

Houghton Regis

Liverpool Kensington

Longbridge Road Barking

Northfield Birmingham

Raymouth Lane Worksop

Sheffield Manor

South Tottenham High Road

Tredegar

Troon

Walsall Wood

Wealdstone

Whitley Bay

York Road Hartlepool

Tesco Metro stores:

Bicester

Bootle

Caerphilly

Crossgates

Devizes

Grangemouth

Mexborough

Morecambe

Ormskirk

Runcorn

Smethwick

Woodseats

Tesco Superstores:

Bedlington

Chatham

Connswater

Cregagh Road

Doncaster

Kirkcaldy

Wrexham Doods Lane

Tesco Homeplus:

Bristol Cribbs

Chelmsford

Chester

Edinburgh

Southampton

Staines