"Heinz tomato ketchup's £140m return to Wigan SCRAPPED - and bosses blame workers", 9 March 2022

...Kraft Heinz has blamed its workers after pulling a promised £140 million investment from its Wigan factory.

The investment would have brought ketchup production back to the UK and created 50 jobs at the food processing plant in Kitt Green, Orrell. Instead the money will now be invested in sites in Alfaro, Spain and Pudliszki, Poland.

Workers' union Unite slammed the decision and described it as a 'disgraceful betrayal'. Unite also asked Heinz for 'cast-iron reassurances' about the future of the site, following the news...

“Our members are reeling from this news so we are seeking immediate, cast-iron safeguards that the UK plant and jobs are secure. We will not allow the UK workforce to be treated like this and Unite will fully support our members in any next steps that they wish to take.”...

Kraft Heinz blamed the decision to distribute the funding elsewhere on a ballot that 'rejected the package of measures and progress towards modernised working practices' that the company claimed was 'needed to underpin this investment'. A spokesman added that these 'essential conditions' were already being met in the Spanish and Polish factories....

"As a direct result of the ballot last year which rejected the package of measures and progress towards modernised working practices that was needed to underpin this investment at Kitt Green, we have re-evaluated the location to build additional production capacity for Sauces.

"A decision has been taken for the current Sauces investment to be made in our Alfaro and Pudliszki factories based in Spain and Poland respectively. Whilst we can congratulate our colleagues in Alfaro and Pudliszki for this significant investment, it is disappointing that on this occasion the Kitt Green site was unsuccessful in securing this opportunity.

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