The company in August said it was offering voluntary separation packages to 4,000 workers in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as it looked to streamline itself while its sales were taking a hit from the health crisis.

The news of job cuts come as millions of Americans are already stuck on unemployment benefits as a relentless wave of new COVID-19 infections hobble business operations.

“The pandemic was not a cause for these changes, but it has been a catalyst for the company to move faster,” Coca-Cola said in an emailed statement.

It had about 86,200 employees at the end of last year, of which 10,400 were located in the United States.

About 500 job cuts will be in metro Atlanta, where Coca-Cola’s headquarter is based.

REUTERS