Sweets firm Swizzels fined for underpaying staff

Confectionery firm Swizzels Matlow has been fined and ordered to pay nearly £20,000 to hundreds of workers who did not receive the minimum wage.

The company, based in New Mills, Derbyshire, manufactures sweet brands including Love Hearts, Drumsticks and Parma Violets.

The Department for Business and Trade has released a list of 389 employers that have been fined and ordered to make up the shortfall to affected staff.

It said Swizzels Matlow had failed to pay £19,961 to 437 workers but would not disclose the fine amount when asked.

However, the department said total fines handed out to the 389 employers came to £12.6m.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said: "The vast majority of businesses in this country do the right thing by paying their staff properly and playing by the rules.

"It's not fair on them when others are able to get ahead by not paying the wages their workers are owed."

Nici Matlow, human resources director at Swizzels Matlow, said: "A routine investigation in 2022 by the Department of Business and Trade found that a number of salaries inadvertently fell below minimum wage. These cases have all since been rectified.

"Although all salaries have consistently exceeded minimum wage, previously, where some individuals opted into salary sacrifice schemes, including childcare vouchers, cycle to work schemes and our social and tool clubs, salaries fell below the minimum wage threshold.

"These deductions have now been factored into our salaries and we continue to strive to ensure all of our employees are paid the real living wage, something that has already been achieved for 95% of our team.

"In addition, time to change into personal protective equipment (PPE) ahead of their shift was not factored in. This has since been added for all employees."

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