PepsiCo has confirmed it will make some 50 staff redundant at one of its Walkers crisps sites in the UK.

The company said the move to a 24/7 shift pattern in the UK at its Peterlee site in north-east England would “bring us in line with much of the industry and many other sites”.

AnneMaria Goodyer, site manager at the Peterlee location, said PepsiCo had yet to begin the consultation process with employees, although she said was “likely” that the move would lead to “about 50” staff losing their jobs.

“PepsiCo is committed to staying in Peterlee and, in order to do this, we need to ensure that the site is viable for the long term,” Goodyer added.