Nestle may offload Perrier after unions row
Food giant Nestle may sell its French mineral water brand Perrier after a union blocked a plan to cut almost 800 jobs.
The sale of Perrier, one of the world’s best known water brands, is a “project that will be examined along with others”, Nestle Waters France said in a statement.
Peter Brabeck, chief executive of the Swiss food and drink company, first threatened in March to sell Perrier, citing the high cost of producing bottled water in France compared with Italy and other European countries.
In a meeting with workers’ representatives today, Nestle Waters said it emphasised the need for “flexibility and productivity in line with that of the competition”.
Nestle Waters negotiated a deal with unions to offer early retirement to 1,047 workers and replace 276 with new staff. Two unions agreed, but the Communist-backed CGT – which represents a majority of staff – blocked the plan after nine months of talks.
