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British Bakeries blames fall in bread sales for redundancies
Page 10
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The UK's declining appetite for bread has led to job losses at British
Bakeries — and more jobs could be at risk. David Harris reports.
THE SHRINKING British appetite for bread is being blamed for the loss of more than 400 jobs at British Bakeries the redundancies include 32 truck drivers The company, which makes a number of household brands including Hovis and Mother's Pride, is shutting its Bradford bakery and a depot at Telford.
The 32 drivers' jobs will be lost at Telford, which is closing down.
The Bradford site will initially retain its depot, but the company says it will eventually want to close the site and relocate the depot elsewhere in West Yorkshire. It is unclear whether any jobs will be lost when that happens.
The two closures come after others at British Bakeries earlier this year and all the shutdowns are being blamed on changing eating habbits.
A spokeswoman says:"The move reflects an overall fall in the amount of bread people are eating.
"Consumers have changed their habits and whereas before we would need to supply the south of England with bread baked in the North,the South is now much more self-sufficient, so we don't need to transfer the bread and morning goods down the country."
A 90-day consultation period between unions and the company has begun and the main union for the sites, the Bakers. Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU), says its members have been devastated by the closures.
The unions want to save as many jobs as possible but agree with the company about the main reason for the closure.
Ian Wood, organising secretary for the BFAWU, says: "People are just not having toast with their breakfast: they are having cereal bars and moving away from traditional products."
British Bakeries is owned by Premier Foods.