MORE FAMOUS
THEY are our best loved treats and pantry goodies – some manufactured here for hundreds of years.
But well-known names from Curly Wurlys, HP sauce and Twinings tea to Twix and Smarties have already lost their Made in Britain pride.
And as Colman’s Mustard and Blue Riband prepare to shift production abroad with the loss of hundreds more jobs, their makers are accused of playing “fast and loose” with their traditional UK ties.
Colman’s – now owned by Unilever – plans to close its Norwich factory after 160 years this autumn, moving to other sites including one in Germany.
And Nestle-owned Blue Riband chocolate biscuits, made in Britain since 1936, are set to be made in Poland with the loss of nearly 300 jobs. Swiss firm Nestle claims the switch, affecting jobs in Newcastle, York, Halifax and Girvan in Scotland, will help the firm stay competitive.
But unions have blasted such moves. And GMB national officer Eamon O’Hearn says centuries of tradition are being swept aside in pursuit of profits.
He said: “Multinational companies are playing fast and loose with their ties to the UK. Unilever is selling off the Colman’s site for redevelopment.
“Norwich is losing nearly 200 years of production and more than 100 jobs. This whole policy is driven by profit.
“British firms have a strong philanthropic tradition, with Colman’s setting up schools and Cadbury building facilities for its workforce and communities. All that is being ripped to shreds.”
PROMISE
Nestle has made Smarties in Hamburg since 2006 while rival firm Mars moved Twix to France and Germany a year later.
There has been a series of foreign takeovers of British brands in the past 20 years – with one of the most controversial being Kraft’s £12billion Cadbury swoop in 2010.
Kraft – now Mondelez International – closed a factory near Bristol where Wispa and Crunchie bars were made, and moved production to Poland. Curly Wurlys have been manufactured there since 2008.
Mint chocolate firm Bendicks, made by royal appointment since 1930, was moved from Winchester to Germany in 2011 after a buyout. Organic chocs Green & Black’s has been swallowed by Kraft.
It is now made in Italy as well as Poland where Twinings tea is produced along with Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
HP Sauce was bought up by US giant Heinz in 2006 and moved from Birmingham to Holland in 2007.
But Mike Watkins, retail insight head at industry analyst Nielsen, claims we’re not too bothered where brands are made. He said: “What’s important to shoppers is quality, price and convenience.”
Nestle said its proposed changes “affect a number of our sites including Fawdon, Newcastle, where Blue Riband is made.”
Unilever says most Colman’s products made in Norwich will stay in the UK. But some packaging of dry sauces will move to a German factory.
Unilever said: “We will offer affected employees a comprehensive support package including discussing redeployment at other sites.” stephen.hayward@sundaymirror.
co.uK The twin chocolate fingers first appeared in 1967. Mars transferred manufacture to France and Germany when the firm closed one of its factories in Slough, Berks, in 2007. Its production of Starburst sweets went to the Czech Republic. ORGANIC chocolate brand Green & Black’s, founded in 1991, was bought for £20m in 2005 by Cadbury which itself was taken over by Kraft – now Mondelez – five years later. It is now made in Italy and Poland.
Multinationals play fast and loose and are ripping firms’ traditions to shreds GMB’S EAMON O’HEARN ON UK MANUFACTURING DEMISE