The Amicus and Transport and General Workers unions have paid £1 million for an ad campaign against Peugeot with national newspaper advertisements encouraging people not to buy Peugeot and Citroen cars if the company proceeds with the closure of the Ryton plant in Coventry.

Today’s full page ads in The Mirror and Guardian newspapers mark the beginning of a national campaign against the decision announced in April that the Coventry factory will shut next year, with the direct loss of 2,300 jobs, and that production of the run-out 206 supermini will be moved to France and Slovakia.

The unions will place a series of advertisements in the trade, regional and national press and run boards on 48-sheet hoardings close to Peugeot and Citroen dealers. They are also appealing to the UK’s seven million trade union members to boycott Peugeot and Citroen.

The words of the ad – on a background of England flags being waved at a football match – are:

"This summer think of England. Peugeot Citroen are leaving England and condemning 2,000 people like you to the dole. They want to build their cars in Eastern Europe where wages are as low as £75 a week.

"Peugeot Citroen expects you to forget what they’ve done and carry on buying their cars to fuel their massive profits.

"If you’re thinking of buying a car this summer think of England."

The unions say they could adopt similar tactics for other companies that chose to cut jobs and plants in the UK and move production to other parts of the world. Amicus has already threatened the removal of Vauxhall cars from its staff and affinity car supply programmes, following the planned closure of the third shift at GM’s Ellesmere Port Astra assembly plant.