Nestlé will cut 16,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years — nearly 6% of its global workforce — as new CEO Philipp Navratil accelerates cost-cutting and growth plans. About 12,000 white-collar positions and 4,000 manufacturing and supply chain roles will be affected.
“The world is changing and Nestlé needs to change faster,” Navratil said, promising the layoffs would be handled “with respect and transparency.”
The restructuring follows the dismissal of former CEO Laurent Freixe and aims to save 3 billion Swiss francs (£2.8 billion) by 2027. Navratil said the company must become “bolder” and more performance-driven to regain momentum.
Nestlé, which owns brands such as KitKat, Nescafé, and Purina, employs around 4,200 people in the UK. It did not specify where the job cuts will fall but said it plans to boost automation and efficiency.
The announcement came as Nestlé reported a 1.9% fall in reported sales to 65.9 billion francs, largely due to currency impacts, though organic growth rose 3.3%. Growth was led by coffee and confectionery, offset by inflation and rising ingredient costs.
Analyst Chris Beckett said the move signals “drastic action to arrest Nestlé’s slide,” noting that while the company is showing ambition, it remains “a work in progress.”
