The US beauty and fragrance group Coty, whose brands include Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Rimmel and Bourjois, among others, plans to cut 155 of its 200 jobs in France, union representatives told AFP on Friday, 6 November. The company confirmed that it had proposed an overhaul of its operating model in the country.

The proposal, drawn up following a review of the company’s operations, is part of “Coty’s strategy to implement a simpler, more focused, and more sustainable organization,” a group spokesperson told AFP in a statement, declining to comment on the figures cited by representatives of the CGT and CFDT unions.

“This includes a restructuring plan for the beauty business and a review of the operating model for prestige products in France,” the spokesperson added, noting that the plan is subject to French labor law.

In the midst of a transformation, Coty announced last year that it was launching a strategic review of its consumer cosmetics division, with the aim of refocusing on fragrances by bringing its prestige and mass-market fragrance businesses together. The announcement followed earlier indications of restructuring plans that could affect around 700 positions.

The redundancy plan unveiled in France on Friday was presented to employees in a matter of minutes on Tuesday morning, leaving them “reeling from the blow,” a source within the CGT union told AFP.

“It’s very harsh,” said a CFDT union source, citing 152 planned layoffs out of 155 affected positions, three of which are currently vacant.

Coty employs around 200 people in France, including approximately 100 in Paris-based roles covering marketing, sales and supply chain operations, as well as around 50 field-based sales representatives and promoters, according to the CGT. Nearly 100 sales positions in supermarkets are set to be eliminated, according to the company.

On Wednesday, November 4, Coty reported a 64% increase in profits for the July-September period, driven by strong demand in its core markets and the sale of one of its licenses for USD 106 million.

Union representatives contacted by AFP suspect that the group intends to “liquidate staff” ahead of a potential sale of cosmetics brands such as Bourjois and Rimmel. While awaiting an information meeting scheduled for late November, they are considering staging a demonstration outside the group’s headquarters in Paris.