Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Supermarkets lack effective antibiotic policies, antibiotic group says
Existing antibiotic policies only apply to supermarkets' own brand products.
Restrictions on antibiotic use are not applied to some branded or imported products.

Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics has accused supermarkets of lacking effective antibiotic policies, as the threat of antimicrobial resistance continues to rise.

Following a focus on the topic at the High-Level Meeting at the UN general assembly in New York, the group has highlighted how some supermarket supply chains might not be complying with legislation.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when an overuse of antibiotics leads pathogens to develop a resistance to the antibiotics created to treat diseases, reducing the efficacy of these drugs. It has been described by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as ‘one of the top global public health and development threats’.

Throughout 2019, 1.27 million deaths around the world are estimated to be linked with antimicrobial resistance.

In May 2014, new legislation was introduced to restrict the use of antibiotics in farming. As part of the rules, farmers cannot use antibiotics to ‘compensate for poor hygiene, inadequate animal husbandry or poor farm management practices’.

The most recent report is showing some progress in reducing farm antibiotic use, with a 59 per cent reduction of farm antibiotic use since 2017.

There has also been an 81 per cent reduction in the use of critically important antibiotics since 2014.

However, although supermarkets do ask their suppliers to minimise use of antibiotics, they also allow suppliers to use intensive farming methods which increase levels of disease and antibiotic use. This includes fast-growing chickens, early weaning of piglets and routine tail docking of piglets.

Furthermore, existing antibiotic policies only apply to the supermarkets' own brand products, which usually originate in the UK. Branded products, which account for 48 per cent of grocery spending, and many imported animal products are not covered by the supermarkets' policies.

The antibiotic group reports that M&S follows antibiotic policy most closely, with their entire supply chain covered. Tesco and Waitrose are the next best performing supermarkets.

Iceland was the supermarket with the weakest policy, with no monitoring and no specific restrictions on critically important antibiotics. Ocado is yet to enforce a policy, although it says this will be introduced later this year.

The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics is now calling on UK supermarkets to strengthen their antibiotic policies across all products and urges the government to ensure legislation on farm antibiotic use is fully implemented.

Cóilín Nunan, policy and science manager at the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said: “Globally, it is estimated that about two thirds of all antibiotics are used in farm animals. Yet supermarkets are often not checking whether imported food they are selling has been produced with routine antibiotic use.

“This is unfair on UK farmers, who are held to higher standards. More importantly it is a threat to the health of consumers.”

Image © Shutterstock

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Vivienne Mackinnon elected BVA Scottish Branch President

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has elected Vivienne Mackinnon as its new BVA Scottish Branch president.

Dr Mackinnon has over 30 years of experience in veterinary care, encompassing both small animal and mixed practice. She has worked in practices in Scotland, England, New Zealand and Australia, before joining APHA to work in frontline disease control.

In her speech, Dr Mackinnon reflected on the changes in Scotland's veterinary industry and highlighted her commitment to veterinary education.

Dr Mackinnon said: "I look forward to working with colleagues across the veterinary professions to improve animal health and welfare in the country and support veterinary workplaces."