Unilever warns of tough year ahead
CONSUMER products giant Unilever, currently embroiled in a row with staff over pensions, has warned of a difficult year ahead after posting a small rise in annual profits.
The group, behind top-selling brands such as Flora, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Dove, PG Tips tea and Lynx aftershave, made net profit of €4.25bn, marginally ahead of the 2010 figure of €4.24bn in 2010. Turnover rose to €46.4bn from €44.2bn in 2010.
Assessing prospects for this year, chief executive Paul Polman said: “We expect the external macroeconomic environment to remain difficult in 2012 and input cost headwinds will persist, although to a lesser extent than in 2011”.
Unilever – which has its roots in the region – remains a major employer here and has nearly 2,000 staff at Port Sunlight in manufacturing and research roles, 200 people in Warrington and 250 at a tea processing plant in Trafford Park, Manchester. A further 300 work at a global IT centre at St David’s Park in North Wales.
Staff in the North West, and others across the country, have taken strike action in protest over the company’s plans to close its final-salary scheme in July, and to move to a career-average scheme.
