*Unilever, the consumer goods manufacturing giant, discloses the conglomerate will begin a consultation process with the workforce affected by cuts in Europe, with about 3,200 jobs being slashed in the region by the end of next year

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

In a move to cut costs and revive growth of the conglomerate, Unilever, the consumer good giant, says it plans to cut a third of its office-based roles in Europe by the end of 2025.

The decision comes after the company announced March 2024, that it would be cutting costs, affecting about 7,500 roles globally.

绿帽献妻 reports Unilever disclosed it would begin a consultation process with those affected by cuts in Europe, with about 3,200 jobs being axed in the region.

The company, in a statement, affirmed the development, and said: “We recognise the significant anxiety that these proposals are causing among our people.”

The changes are said to part of efforts to revive growth at the firm under boss Hein Schumacher, who took over as Chief Executive 2023, after underperformance in recent years.

It was not immediately clear which locations the job cuts would fall.

It was gathered that Unilever has major offices in London and Rotterdam, where the company maintained dual headquarters for decades before deciding in 2020 to unify its legal structure in the UK.

At the time, it said it would not affect staffing, agency report said.

鈥淭hese measures mean the biggest job cuts in Unilever for decades,” Hermann Soggeberg, the head of Unilever鈥檚 European Works Council, said in a letter to staff.

A Unilever spokesperson was also quoted to have stated: 鈥淚n March, we announced the launch of a comprehensive productivity programme, to drive focus and growth through a leaner and more accountable organisation.”

Those plans also included the decision to split off its ice cream business, which includes the Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum brands.

Unilever said the shake-up would help it to “do fewer things better.”

In the UK, the company produces ice cream in north-east Gloucestershire, Marmite and Bovril in Burton-on-Trent and Pot Noodles in Newport, and employs 6,000 staff in total.

“From a shareholder鈥檚 point of view, a turnaround was clearly required at an underperforming business,” said Jack Martin, a portfolio manager at Oberon Investments.

Unilever is one of the largest consumer goods companies in the world, including the Dove beauty brand, Persil washing up power and Lynx body spray.

In May 2024, Unilever apologised after being reported to the UK’s Environment Agency after soapy water was 鈥渋ncorrectly diverted鈥� from its soap powder factory into an already-polluted river, report added.

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