Unilever To Cut 7,500 Jobs And Spin Off Ben & Jerry's

Unilever has announced plans to spin off its Ben & Jerry’s ice cream division and cut around 7,500 jobs globally as part of a major shake-up productivity, saving around €800m (£684m) over the next three years.

- HOLLY WILLIAMS

The roles are expected to go over the next two years, although staff will be consulted about the cuts. Unilever did not reveal how many jobs would go in each country but it is expected that its 6,000-strong UK workforce will be among those affected. The company, which is headquartered in Blackfriars, London, has 128,000 employees globally.

The firm also revealed that the overhaul would see it spin off its ice cream business – which also includes the Wall’s and Magnum brands – most likely through a separate stock market listing.

The group’s bosses confirmed that AI would “play a role” in the jobs cull as part of a “comprehensive” programme to invest in technology. It said it was too early to give details on the types of jobs that would be affected, given the need to consult with staff, but confirmed that roles would go across sites including its head office and corporate centres.