Workers put on temporary leave while production is paused at Wedgwood’s factory in Barlaston are receiving full-pay and support, it has been confirmed.
Daily Focus reported yesterday that 70 workers are affected by a temporary stop in production due to a drop in consumer demand.
Wedgwood owners Fiskars Group has said all affected employees will receive their normal pay and the GMB union has said they are supporting staff during the period.
The factory, which serves as a hub for high-end and bespoke products, will be closed for up to 90 days from Monday, 29 September.
Now calls are being repeated for more help for the ceramics industry.
Colin Griffiths, GMB Senior Organiser, said: “Wedgwood ceramics are the envy of the world.
“With a 300-year history of British manufacturing at Wedgwood, we’re proud that highly skilled GMB members are at the heart of this British icon.
“The ceramics industry is one where there are frequently seasonal variations.
“Workers are on full-pay and both Wedgwood (Fiskars) and our union are supporting staff during this time.”
A Fiskars spokesperson has confirmed that 274 people currently work at the Barlaston site.
Yesterday, Wedgwood’s Senior Vice President Sjoerd Leeflang said the short-term measure was being taken to ‘address elevated inventory levels caused by lower consumer demand in some of our key markets’ but described Barlaston and its community as being of ‘key importance’ to Fiskars Group and Wedgwood.
A spokesperson then added: “Affected employees will receive their normal pay to ensure they are fully supported during this short-term temporary pause.”
Individuals and organisations including Ceramics UK and Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell have been campaigning for more support for the pottery industry.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council yesterday announced that it is signing up to a pledge to ‘buy local’ when it comes to ceramics.
And it said it is pushing the case at ‘the very highest level of government to ensure the ceramics industry is seen as integral to the future of the country’.
Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of the council, said: “Buying local doesn’t have to mean spending more – but it does mean we are keeping money in Stoke-on-Trent and supporting local businesses, and local jobs.”
Chris Plant, Interim CEO of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “The challenges facing our ceramics sector highlight the urgent need for targeted government support.
“The Industrial Strategy was a huge missed opportunity to address high energy costs and global pressures, and without action we risk further disruption to jobs, skills, and investment in an industry that should be central to Britain’s manufacturing future.
“Yesterday’s ONS figures confirm what our businesses are telling us. The ongoing impact of business cost pressures, most notably from the National Insurance hike, continues to hit the labour market – with 73 per cent of firms citing labour costs as their biggest cost pressure. Something must be done to protect the ceramics industry.”
- Factory tours offered as one of the attractions at the World of Wedgwood site are also paused. Anyone with a tour booking between 29 September and 5 January 2026 will be contacted in due course.
- All other experiences at the World of Wedgwood site remain open and operating as usual.
- Read yesterday’s story here.
