LeicestershireLive reported this month that 560 PepsiCo employees could be made redundant under the restructuring proposals, including around 250 at the firm’s Walkers crisps manufacturing site in Leicester.
When approached by Food Manufacture for comment, PepsiCo confirmed that it was consulting on proposed changes and that a “proportion” of employees would be impacted.
“We recently told our teams that we will be consulting on proposed changes to our operational structure, affecting a proportion of employees at our snacks manufacturing sites in the UK,” a PepsiCo spokesperson said.
“No decisions will be made without first consulting affected employees and their representatives. Our priority is providing support for our people throughout this process.
“The changes being proposed are intended to bring our UK sites in line with a different operating structure we have had success with at some of our other international sites, leading to better ways of working and increased technical capabilities.”
PepsiCo is proposing the changes at its four largest sites in the UK in Leicester, Coventry, Lincoln and Skelmersdale where around 4,500 people are employed.
In addition to Walkers, PepsiCo owns snacking brands such as Doritos, Sun Bites, Snack a Jacks, Quaker, Nobby’s Nuts, Pipers and Cheetos, on top of drinks brands including 7up, Lipton, Pepsi and Mountain Dew.
Across the UK, PepsiCo has invested £140 million into its sites since 2020.
