Unilever to cut a third of office jobs in Europe, FT reports

(Reuters) – Unilever plans to cut a third of all office roles in Europe by the end of next year as new CEO Hein Schumacher forges ahead with a plan to boost growth at the struggling consumer goods giant, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

The company told senior executives on Wednesday that as many as 3,200 roles would be cut in Europe by the end of 2025, according to details of a company-wide call shared with the FT.

The report added that the cuts were a part of the cost-savings programme announced in March, which included as many as 7,500 layoffs.

“The expected net impact in roles in Europe between now and the end of 2025 is in the range of 3,000 to 3,200 roles,” Constantina Tribou, a chief human resources officer, said during the video call, the FT reported.

Schumacher, who became CEO last year, laid out plans in October to win back investor confidence by simplifying the business after admitting Unilever had underperformed in recent years.

(Reporting by Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Savio D’Souza)