Express & Star

Food giant 2 Sisters faces challenge to recover from hygiene scandal, says MP

Food giant 2 Sisters faces a huge challenge to recover from the hygiene scandal which has seen production suspended at its West Bromwich plant, an MP believes.

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2 Sisters

Adrian Bailey, Labour MP for West Bromwich West, said allegations that food standards were ignored were 'profoundly damaging' for the company as he called for the issue to be brought before Parliament.

He also said serious questions needed to be asked about how food production firms are monitored.

Crisis-hit 2 Sisters took the decision to suspend production after several of the country's biggest supermarkets and high street retailers stopped orders following undercover filming at the Dial Lane plant, including M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury's. The Food Standards Agency has also launched an investigation.

Footage appeared to show chickens which had fallen on the floor being thrown back onto the production line and slaughter and sell-by dates being altered.

The company provides around a third of poultry consumed in the UK.

Mr Bailey said he was concerned for the future of the plant's 500 workers.

He told the Express & Star: "Obviously there are serious issues around food hygiene and proper processes.

"I have sympathy with the staff who may be completely innocent of wrongdoing but face the prospect of losing their jobs. At the end of the day, food hygiene and health is paramount.

"It seems to me action as drastic as this (suspending production) was taken for a reason.

"It is amazing a company of this size and experience should have allowed itself to get into this position. It is profoundly damaging for the company and the brand as well. It is a really serious issue of public concern."

Mr Bailey said attention now needed to turn to making sure similar incidents cannot happen elsewhere in the food industry.

He said: "I think this needs to go before Parliament to see whether any lessons can be learned and what steps can be taken to monitor companies and ensure this cannot happen."

Mr Bailey added: "I think the company can survive but only if it is subject to total change of management and a comprehensive staff training policy to give reassurance to the supermarkets.

"It is a big challenge but the key is being able to satisfy the supermarkets in the future it is a company that meets the standards the major retailers demand."

The 2 Sisters Group, which also has plants in Wolverhampton and Smethwick and is headed by tycoon Ranjit Singh Boparan, one of the Black Country's richest men, announced at the weekend it had taken the unprecedented decision to halt production in order to train staff.