Ongoing industrial action at a Bakkavor food production facility has put Christmas party food at risk as fears grow over shortages of popular dips, soups and sauces.

The Bakkavor Spalding plant, a key supplier of savoury dips, has been hit by strikes for nearly three months, with hundreds of workers voting for an extension of the action, The Guardian reported.

Nearly 800 of the 1,400 workers at the Lincolnshire site, represented by the Unite union, have opted for an additional three months of strike action. They are demanding a pay increase beyond the current 10p-per-hour premium above the legal minimum wage of £11.44 for those over 21.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham told the title: “Bakkavor is an incredibly wealthy company with a chief executive on a two million-plus salary. It can fully afford to pay its workers a fair pay increase.” 

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The food manufacturer has relocated production of some items, including taramasalata, to other factories to maintain availability but there are still noticeable gaps on shelves at major retailers. 

Tesco is reportedly experiencing reduced supplies of several products including cheddar cheese, chive dip and carbonara sauce. Meanwhile, upmarket retailer Waitrose has reported shortages of its own-label taramasalata, and beetroot and feta salad.

Bakkavor has claimed that many staff members are still reporting to work as usual. The company also said it has implemented contingency plans to mitigate disruptions and insisted it had “robust plans to deliver Christmas across our 21 UK sites.”

Bakkavor’s latest pay proposal includes a 7.8% increase for the lowest-paid workers and a 6.4% increase across all other grades, alongside a one-off bonus of £350 per person.