Encirc has insisted there will be no bottle shortages in the UK, after Unite members at its Elton site announced an escalation in industrial action.

More than 100 workers at the glass manufacturing and logistics firm are already involved in a dispute over health and safety concerns following the company’s decision to cut almost 30 roles. While those redundancies have now gone ahead, Unite says members remain concerned about the impact reduced staffing levels could have on wellbeing and site safety.

In addition to strike action planned from 3 to 7 April, workers are now also set to walk out on night shifts from 16 to 28 April and again from 9 to 15 May.

The dispute has raised concerns over potential disruption to UK bottle supplies, with Encirc a major manufacturer and filler for a number of alcoholic and no- and low-alcohol brands including Jameson, Baileys, Budweiser and Coors, as well as supermarket own-label wine.

However, the company has moved to reassure customers and suppliers that contingency measures are in place.

An Encirc spokesperson said: “We are incredibly disappointed with this further planned industrial action.

“We would never do anything that puts anyone at risk, and the decisions we make are based on detailed evidence, independent expertise, and the legal duty we hold to provide a safe working environment.

“We take the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff very seriously and all our operations are fully risk assessed before they are implemented.

“In addition, we have also added extra layers of protection to ensure our staff feel safe and supported.

“The reality is that glass production in the UK has seen a downturn over the last 18 months, with cost-of-living impacts, high energy costs and Government policies in the UK, such as the new packaging tax (Extended Producer Responsibility), impacting the industry.

“We have full contingency plans in place and there absolutely will not be any bottle shortages in the UK.

“We, of course, always remain open to dialogue with the trade union.”

Unite has argued that workers are leaving shifts “physically fatigued and mentally drained”, and says the company has failed to properly address concerns around health, safety and wellbeing after the job cuts.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the disruption was “entirely the fault of the employer”, while regional officer Andrew Johnson said members had felt they had “no choice but to escalate strike action” after management failed to return to talks on resolving the issues.

The latest developments come despite strong financial results from Encirc parent company Vidrala, which recently reported full-year 2025 net profit of more than £192m.

Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning