UK supermarkets are criticized for inadequate supervision of antibiotic use among suppliers, as revealed in a new report.
- Recent regulatory changes in the UK highlight gaps in managing antibiotics in farming practices, showing supermarkets’ partial compliance.
- An analysis by the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics uncovers inconsistencies in how UK supermarkets track and report antibiotic use among suppliers.
- The report ranks supermarkets based on their antibiotic practices, exposing a general lack of transparency and comprehensive data sharing.
- Disputes arise as some supermarkets defend their policies, highlighting tensions between regulatory standards and industry practices.
In recent findings, UK supermarkets have been criticized for not adequately ensuring responsible antibiotic use by their suppliers. A new report underlines the gaps in the implementation of antibiotic regulations introduced in the UK this year. These regulations emerged after the transition from EU rules, aiming to limit antibiotic use in farming to prevent them from compensating for poor animal husbandry or hygiene practices.
Research by the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics (ASOA), detailed by The Guardian, has indicated significant shortcomings among the UK’s leading grocery chains in adhering to these regulations. The report, part of a series initiated in 2017, ranks supermarkets using criteria such as antibiotic reduction targets and policies that restrict antibiotic use to necessary cases. Nevertheless, findings reveal that most policies are confined to own-brand products, and comprehensive data from farm suppliers about antibiotic usage remains unpublished.
The evaluation employs a color-coded ranking system where green signifies adherence to good practice, amber indicates partial fulfillment, and red denotes inadequate efforts. Marks & Spencer emerged as a leader with ten green ticks out of twelve possible, alongside two amber, pointing towards relative success in antibiotic management. Tesco and Waitrose, though jointly ranked second, were noted for their insufficient disclosure of antibiotic practices.
Other supermarkets assessed include Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Lidl, Co-op, and Iceland. However, Iceland disputed the report’s findings, asserting that they communicate their antibiotic policies directly to suppliers instead of making them public. They maintain adherence to UK and EU regulations, particularly concerning the use of high-priority antibiotics, such as colistin.
ASOA’s policy and science manager, Cóilín Nunan, highlighted a global concern, estimating that nearly two-thirds of all antibiotics are administered to farm animals. He criticized UK supermarkets for not verifying whether the imported food they sell was produced using routine antibiotics, which he argues places domestic farmers at a competitive disadvantage and poses potential health risks to consumers.
This report underscores the need for UK supermarkets to enhance transparency and enforce robust antibiotic policies to protect consumer health and support local farmers.
