WORKERS at a Cadbury factory in Herefordshire have been told not to expect to any immediate announcements whether future job losses will affect them.

The firm made an announcement yesterday stating it will shed 15 per cent of the workforce by 2011, a total of 7,500 jobs.

Cadbury, which employs 50,000 workers globally, has stated it is far too early to confirm if any of the UK plants will be affected.

It has a milk-processing facility based at the Marlbrook factory near Leominster.

A spokesman for the company said: "We have taken the opportunity to announce our broad plans for the confectionery side of the business by 2011, but it is far too early to make an announcement on the site details.

"We have made a commitment to cut 15 per cent of the workforce globally, but is far too early to even start talking about the nations affected yet."

Shares in the firm had fallen by 1.3 per cent to 697 pence yesterday afternoon after the announcement was made to the stock exchange.

The reorganisation will cost Cadbury £450m, but is expected to help increase profit margins from 10 per cent to the mid-teens.

Cadbury chief executive Todd Stitzer said the plans would turn the company into the "biggest and best" confectionary business in the world.

The firm also confirmed yesterday that it would sell off the drinks side of the business, the Schweppes unit, to a private equity group.