Cadbury Christmas gifts for ex-staff 'no longer viable'

Former staff are upset their traditional Christmas gift is to be scrapped by bosses

Up to 14,000 retired Cadbury workers have had their traditional festive food parcels stopped by its US owners.

The parcels included a Christmas card, sweets and chocolates and were posted to retired employees of the Bournville-based factory.

Retired staff this week received a final gift of a £15 voucher and a letter informing them of the decision.

Mondelez International said the move is "unlikely to be well received", but the gesture is "no longer viable".

Disgruntled ex-workers have now formed a protest on Facebook in a bid to change bosses minds at the US-based parent company.

'Long-term interests'

A spokesman for Mondelez said: "We understand this decision is unlikely to be well received but, as the custodians of the Cadbury Pension Fund, we hope members will understand we have a duty to make sure it's run efficiently.

"We face increasing pension costs at a time when the number of pensioners within the fund is rising annually and it's simply no longer viable to send 14,000 parcels out each year.

"We have the long-term interests of the pension fund at heart."

Former employees and Bournville residents are now petitioning the decision.

Steve Courtenay said online: "As someone born and brought up in Bournville, I always considered them to be a beacon of industry to be proud of - not any more."

Mondelez was formed in 2010 when Cadbury was purchased by US food multi-national Kraft, who split the business in two.

The firm has not disclosed how much they will be saving by scrapping the annual gifts.