Encirc supplies all the major supermarkets with wine

Filipa Gaspar and Jamie Hawkins

16:36, 18 Jun 2025

(Image: Getty Images/Tetra images RF)

Supermarket shelves could be left empty of wine this summer as factory workers at a bottling plant plan a strike, a union has claimed.

Over 200 Unite members at the Encirc site in Avonmouth, Bristol, are planning to strike between June 19 and July 5 over pay and collective bargaining arrangements.

Members at the factory work across different areas, including bottling and packaging red, white, rosé and sparkling wine and distributing it to stores around the UK.

Encirc supplies all the major supermarkets with wine. The company says it is “incredibly disappointed” with the proposed industrial action.

According to Unite, Encirc is a “very profitable company” with a turnover of over £600 million, supplying all the big supermarkets with bottles, boxes and bags of wine.

Unite says the firm has only offered its workers a 3.2 per cent pay rise without negotiating with Unite and has now repeatedly stated from now on it will only give pay rises tied to inflation.

Unite says it effectively means removing Unite’s collective bargaining rights, as any pay increases will be set by Encirc without negotiations before being imposed on workers.

Previously, the union had been able to negotiate with management on pay.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Encirc’s meanness to its workers is all about greed and not need. This is a very lucrative company that can fully afford to pay its workers properly but it is choosing not to.

“Unite will not stand idly by and allow Encric to steal our members hard won rights. Encirc workers deserve better and they have Unite’s full support throughout this dispute.”

Strikes will take place between June 19 and 5 July – with workers in different parts of the business taking strike action on different dates and times according to production schedules to have the biggest impact.

There will also be a 12 week overtime ban as part of the action.

Unite regional officer John Sweeney said: “There is no doubt that this action will hit supermarket shelves. While shortages may be frustrating for customers looking to enjoy a bottle of wine this summer, the situation is entirely of Encirc’s own making.

“Management has constantly refused to engage meaningfully. Encirc needs to return to the negotiating table with a vastly improved offer.”

A spokesperson for Encirc said: “We are incredibly disappointed with this planned industrial action.

“Encirc purchased the Bristol site just under two years ago and over that time we have worked hard to not only uplift pay and conditions, but to begin the process of integrating our businesses and creating a truly great place to work.

“If this latest pay offer was accepted, we would have increased pay for our Bristol-based site by more than 16% in less than two years. There are few companies in our sector globally who have done the same for their people.

“Our final offer includes a cost-of-living increase and pension contribution improvements.

“As a company we are resolute in our efforts to remain competitive whilst doing the best for our people, and we firmly believe that our offer was fair and proportionate.

“As such, at a time when we are already facing so many challenges, and need certainty for our customer base, this really is unexpected.

“Nevertheless, we will mitigate any impact this action could have, and we remain open to dialogue with the union in good faith.”