London-based Dairy Crest announced plans to close its glass bottling dairy plant in Hanworth, West London, and its specialist cream potting facility in Chard, Somerset, affecting close to 260 jobs.
The proposal to end production at Hanworth follows a strategic review of the company’s residential delivery service, and reflects reduced demand for milk in glass bottles. Dairy Crest also confirmed that across the supply chain as a whole, delivering milk in plastic bottles, which are lighter and increasingly made from recycled material, is now as environmentally friendly as glass.