Workers on strike have blockaded Ferrero’s largest manufacturing factory in northern France.

The strike has been going on for a week directly affecting Nutella production as key ingredients run low. The said factory, Villers-Écalles, makes 25% of the world’s supply of Nutella.

The workers of Villers-Écalles factory are demanding higher wages from the privately owned Italian confectionery company. The strike that had been going on since 27 May composed of 160 employees according to Fabrice Canchel of the Force Ouvrière (FO) union.

Fabrice Canchel of the Force Ouvrière (FO) union said 160 employees had been on strike since 27 May. “No lorry has gone in or out of the site since then,” he said on Monday.

Canchel said the depletion of raw materials has left Nutella production lines working at 20% capacity. On the other hand, the production of Kinder Bueno has gone full stop for almost a week.

The strikers are fighting for a 4.5% pay increase and a bonus of €900. The management offered a pay rise of only 0.4%.

Managers of Ferrero in France released a statement regarding the issue saying:

“The priority of the management of the factory is to protect those staff who are not striking and who are the majority and want to continue to work in good conditions.”

The management has gone on to claim the employees when on a strike as an act of refusal to negotiate wage raise terms and are planning to take legal action.

Canchel has noted that suing the workers is a breach of their right to hold a strike.