London, July 24
The London-based consumer goods giant Unilever plans to lay off 3,000 to 3,200 workers in Europe by the end of 2025, the Financial Times has reported.
Constantina Tribou, a chief human resources officer at Unilever, said that the layoffs will mainly target office positions rather than factory jobs. The company currently employs approximately 10,000 to 11,000 office workers in Europe.
Hein Schumacher, who became Unilever's CEO last year, has been under pressure from major shareholders to reform the company's sluggish business performance, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to a press release issued by Unilever in March, the layoffs are part of the company's "productivity enhancement project," which aims to save about 800 million euros (around 867 million US dollars) in costs over the next three years.
The project is expected to impact around 7,500 office positions globally. The company is also spinning off its ice cream business, which includes well-known brands such as Wall's and Magnum, and the process is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.