13 May 2022
Tangerine Group, parent company of the nutraceutical firm, has pledged to give a weekly energy subsidy of up to £40 to its hardest-hit employees.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
From left: Julie Dillon, Patrycja Obolewicz, and Angela Lucas, who are among the Tangerine Group employees to benefit from the energy crisis bonus.
The parent company of nutraceutical brand VetPlus has pledged to pay a weekly energy crisis bonus of up to £40 to employees hit hardest by rising prices.
As of April, Tangerine Group said employees earning less than £25,000 would receive an additional £40 a week, with those earning between £25,000 and £34,995 given £25 per week.
The payment will cover 89 employees – more than half of all those working at Tangerine’s Lytham-based headquarters, where VetPlus and other businesses operate.
The move follows rising costs globally, particularly for gas and electric, with the average household bill up by £693 this year from £1,277 to £1,971.
Tangerine Group founder David Haythornthwaite said: “When we saw the news about the rise in energy prices, we felt it was important that we took action to directly help those employees who would be hardest hit.
“There has been a lot in the media about the need for the Government to do something and for those employed in the public sector, I would agree.
“However, in the private sector where we operate, I feel very strongly that this is down to individual employers such as ourselves to step up to the plate and play our part. As John F Kennedy famously said: ‘Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country’.”
Mr Haythornthwaite added: “We are proud of our team at Tangerine – they’re like family, and have been hard-working and loyal throughout the pandemic, so we believe it’s only right for the business to support them.”
In a letter to his employees, Mr Haythornthwaite said: “We have continued to operate throughout COVID without losing a single day – in itself, a remarkable achievement. While others have used COVID as an excuse for not going to work, our teams have stood up and got stuck in.”
Family owned Tangerine has increased turnover and profit year on year in its 25-year history, and has partners or subsidiaries in 42 countries. All products are manufactured at its Lytham plant.
