Nissan continues its large-scale redundancy program. According to the Financial Times, the company will cut its European workforce by approximately 10% — about 900 employees could be affected. The manufacturer is trying to reduce excess capacity and costs amid falling sales. The parts warehouse in Barcelona, office divisions in the UK, and logistics in Northern European markets are all under threat.
A key point is the Sunderland plant. The enterprise, long considered one of Nissan's key assets in Europe, is now only half-utilized. Therefore, the company plans to leave only one production line.
Nissan is already in talks with Chinese automakers, including Chery, about the possible use of part of the plant's capacity. This is a rare signal: the Japanese brand is effectively allowing local production of Chinese models at its own site in Europe.
The market context looks even tougher. In the first four months of 2026, Nissan sold 28,389 cars in the UK — only slightly more than BYD (26,396) and Jaecoo (22,789). A few years ago, such a gap seemed impossible.
For Nissan, this is an attempt to maintain profitability without a complete withdrawal from Europe. For Chinese brands, it's a chance to get local production faster and bypass potential trade barriers.