Walkers’ crisp handout rubs salt and vinegar in wounds of redundant staff

Crisp-maker Walkers has had to apologise to staff after sending free packets to 250 employees who had just been told they were losing their jobs.

The company, based in Leicester, sent packets of crisps worth 36p to all its employees in the UK to mark the launch of a new product.

Staff at its factory in Wales, which is due to close next month, took offence.

One disgruntled worker said: “I can’t believe they think we care about their crisps now. It’s bad enough that we are out of a job next month, without them rubbing it in.”

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A spokeswoman for Walkers apologised to staff. “It was never our intention to cause offence and we sincerely apologise if we have done so,” she said.

The company announced the factory closure last September. It has offered all staff the chance to relocate to its factories in England.