British sweets Chewits could no longer be produced in the UK, the Trade and General Workers' Union has warned.
The fruity chews were launched in the UK in the 1960s and are made at a factory in Southport, Merseyside, which is now threatened with closure.
More than 160 workers at the site have been told that Holland-based parent company Leaf International is considering the plant's future.
No-one from the factory was available for comment.
It is feared that production may be switched to a new factory in Slovakia.
Franny Joyce, a spokesman for the union, said they were entering into talks with management but feared for the future of the sweet factory.
He said: "We are very concerned. This is yet another example of British manufacturers being forced to close because it can't compete with cheaper manufacturers in eastern Europe."
Mr Joyce said Leaf International had recently been taken over by Dutch venture capitalist CVC.
Chewits were first launched in the UK in 1965 and originally consisted of strawberry, blackcurrant, orange and banana flavours.
In the late 1960s the sweet was exported to Scandinavia and the Middle East and later throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
According to the Chewits website, the sweet is based on "history and tradition" and a brand "people have grown up with".
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BBC NEWS
Published: 2006/01/11 18:24:12 GMT
