Fears that hundreds of job will be axed at York's 'home of KitKat'
Swiss multinational Nestlé is axing hundreds of jobs across the UK with the majority going at the “home of KitKat” in York, according to a union.
The food manufacturing giant is cutting 450 jobs among staff and managers across the country.
The GMB said the majority of the job cuts would be at its UK headquarters at York, but other sites in the UK could be affected.
Nestlé announced last year that it would cut 16,000 jobs worldwide over two years as part of a cost-saving programme aimed at improving efficiency and growth performance.
The Haxby Road factory, which also makes Aero, Yorkie, Milkybar, and Polo, serves as the UK headquarters for its confectionery business, a global R&D hub, and employs nearly 2,000 people
Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, GMB National Secretary, said: “These job cuts will rip the heart out of communities.
“Nestlé workers – who make some of the UK’s best loved treats – have already put up with years of uncertainty and job losses.”
Nestlé was asked if they could confirm where the jobs were going, but they said this would be hard to say, as they were proposals subject to consultation.
A spokesperson said the job losses were part of the ongoing worldwide process: "As always, we will manage any changes in the right way and in consultation with our people.
"Any proposed changes will always be shared with those affected first and we have no further update to give at this time.”