Nestle, the manufacturer of KitKat, has announced plans to cut 450 jobs from its UK factories, primarily affecting staff and managers at its sites in York and Gatwick.
Impact on York factory
The York factory, known as the historic "home of KitKat," produces over one billion KitKat bars annually. With approximately 4 million bars made daily, the site employs 2,000 people and also produces Aero, Yorkie, and Polo, alongside housing a global research and development center.
Union response
GMB National Secretary Charlotte Brumpton-Childs expressed concern: "These job cuts will rip the heart out of communities. Nestle workers – who make some of the UK's best loved treats – have already put up with years of uncertainty and job losses." She added that GMB will work closely with members and the company to ease the pain of these cuts as much as possible.
Nestle previously announced plans to cut 16,000 jobs globally in a major restructuring aimed at reducing costs. A Nestle spokesperson stated: "We said in 2025 that we will reduce our global workforce by 16,000 roles and that process is ongoing. 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."
