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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

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Free CPD announced for BVNA members

News Story 1
 Zoetis is to present a CPD event for free to members of the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA).

Led by veterinary consultant Ruth Moxon, the one-hour online session is designed to help veterinary nurses discuss parasiticide options with clients. It will advise on structuring recommendations, factors for product choice and moving away from 'selling'.

'How do you recommend parasite treatments to your clients?' will be presented on Tuesday, 20 May at 7.30pm. It is free for BVNA members, with £15.00 tickets for non-members.

Veterinary nurses can email cpd@bvna.co.uk to book their place. 

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News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.