Recent research reveals UK supermarkets’ insufficient response to new antibiotic regulations.
- Despite new UK laws, supermarkets lack comprehensive measures to monitor antibiotic use in farming.
- The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics highlights gaps in supermarket policies and transparency.
- M&S leads in responsible antibiotic use, yet overall data publishing remains inadequate.
- Immediate action is urged to improve animal husbandry and prevent antibiotic misuse.
Recent research has revealed a concerning lack of action by UK supermarkets in addressing antibiotic misuse in their supply chains. Despite the introduction of new regulations this year, designed to limit the use of antibiotics in farming, supermarkets have not fully implemented necessary measures to monitor and manage antibiotic use effectively. British farmers, now outside the scope of EU regulations, are required to adhere to these new laws, which stipulate that antibiotics should not be used as compensation for poor farming practices or inadequate hygiene.
The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics (ASOA) conducted an assessment that ranked supermarkets based on several criteria, including whether they had specific targets for reducing antibiotic use, policies ensuring antibiotics are used only when necessary, and coverage of these policies across their product range. The evaluation also considered whether supermarkets monitored antibiotic use throughout their supply chains. The findings, reported by The Guardian, indicate that none of the examined supermarkets – including major chains like Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose – have published comprehensive data detailing antibiotic use by individual farm suppliers. Current policies largely focus only on own-label products.
M&S emerged as the leading supermarket in terms of responsible antibiotic use practices, receiving ten green ticks out of a possible twelve, denoting good practice. M&S, along with Morrisons, are the only supermarkets to have fully banned the use of colistin, an antibiotic classified by the World Health Organization as a last-resort option for human health. Waitrose and Tesco followed M&S, both attaining six green ticks, yet both were marked down for their lack of data publication per farm system.
The response from Iceland exemplified the ongoing dispute over the findings, with a spokesperson asserting that the company’s policies are communicated directly to suppliers rather than made public. Iceland’s policy restricts the use of critically important antibiotics, including colistin, and complies with EU and UK regulatory standards. However, the lack of public data remains a significant concern highlighted by the study.
ASOA’s policy and science manager, Cóilín Nunan, emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating, “It is no longer legal to use antibiotics to prop up farming methods that are causing animals to fall sick.” To prevent antibiotics misuse and enhance animal welfare, supermarkets are urged to take immediate, robust action.
In sum, while M&S sets a benchmark for responsible antibiotic practices, broader supermarket compliance is urgently needed to safeguard public health and agriculture ethics.
