Vodafone Executives Warned of Franchise Financial Ruin
Whistleblowers alerted senior Vodafone executives, including CEO Margherita Della Valle, about impending financial distress faced by numerous franchised store owners due to significant cuts in commission rates. Despite these warnings, the cost-cutting measures led to a group of 62 out of approximately 150 Vodafone franchise operators filing a legal claim exceeding £120 million last December, alleging the company was “unjustly enriching” itself. The complaints from Vodafone employees were made two years prior to the high court claim.