Food to detergents group Unilever is to scrap 240 jobs at its European food research centres.

A further 260 jobs will be shifted elsewhere. Unilever employs some 1,160 people in its food research unit, of whom 800 are based in the Dutch town of Vlaardingen. Unilever says the reorganisation – which will reduce the number of food science labs from 64 to 29 – will boost innovation.