– Permanent and temporary opportunities available –
– Roles in distribution centres and manufacturing sites nationwide –
Morrisons is looking to recruit 3,000 new colleagues ahead of the festive season in order to meet increased demand at Christmas.
This year’s holiday season is anticipated to be even busier than usual as customers try to make up for last year’s restricted celebrations and hold multiple gatherings with their friends and family.
To help prepare, Morrisons is looking to recruit colleagues for its distribution centres and manufacturing sites across the country. The roles available range from warehouse and production operatives, to pickers and packers as well as other skilled roles such as fork lift truck drivers. Full training will be provided for all positions and so no prior experience is required.
Morrisons has also joined the Kickstart scheme meaning it welcomes applications from 16-24 year olds who are receiving universal credit.
Earlier this year, Morrisons became the first UK supermarket to guarantee pay of at least £10 per hour* and colleagues also benefit from a 10% staff discount as well as flexible hours and shift patterns to suit.
Clare Grainger, Morrisons People Director, said: “Customers have told us that they want to make up for last year’s low-key festive season and so we are working hard to make sure that our shelves are stocked with everything they need to help them celebrate.
“We are looking for 3,000 Christmas helpers to come and join our busy, fast-moving and exciting team on a temporary or permanent basis and help make good things happen this Christmas.”
Anyone wishing to apply should visit www.morrisons.jobs or call 0345 6116111
Morrisons customers will be able to get their hands on plastic-free chewing gum this week as Nuud Chewing Gum hits the shelves.
Nuud Founder, Keir Carnie, pitched his plant-based product to Morrisons as part of its Growing British Brands programme and is now the first brand to launch as part of it. The programme aims to support entrepreneurs in developing their businesses offering them mentorship, business advice and ultimately, a space on shelves nationwide.
The spearmint Nuud Chewing Gum is plant-based, biodegradable and free from plastic and sugar. The packaging is made from cardboard and fully-recyclable at home and is available in all Morrisons stores for £1.50 per pack.
Morrisons continues to reduce the use of plastic and identifying sustainable brands is one of the aims of The Growing British Brands programme. Unlike regular chewing gums, Nuud is 100% plastic free and biodegradable, breaking down just like a banana skin. It can also be composted.
Keir had previously appeared on BBC Two show Dragon’s Den but failed to secure investment as the Dragons felt the big-brand competitors had too tight a grip on the market.
Morrisons disagreed and were won over by Nuud’s sustainability credentials and Keir’s desire to solve the problem of hidden plastics in regular chewing gum as well as the litter problems and environmental issues it can cause.
Darren Smith, Senior Sourcing & Local Ranging Manager at Morrisons, commented: “We think Keir has a fantastic product that is just what our customers are looking for. Reducing plastics is consistently highlighted as one of the top issues our customers care about and as a business we want to identify and work with sustainable brands of the future.
“Keir was the perfect candidate for our Growing British Brands programme and we’re excited that Nuud is the first brand to launch as part of it. We look forward to helping Keir scale up his business.”
Keir Carnie, Nuud Founder, said:“We’re incredibly proud that Nuud is the first brand launching on the Growing British Brands programme.
“Our innovative plastic free, plant based chewing gum is perfect for those seeking a natural and planet friendly freshener. The Morrisons team has been so supportive in planning for this partnership, and we’re really pleased to join them on the mission to offer healthy and sustainable alternatives to Morrisons customers.”
Morrisons is continuing to look for more exciting brands to join its Growing British Brands programme. Entrepreneurs and businesses can apply at:
– Morrisons limited edition Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza will be made fresh in store on Market Street –
– Morrisons famous Volcanic Vindaloo also returns to shelves alongside new Burnin’ Bhajis –
Morrisons has launched three new dishes to help celebrate National Curry Week this year, from the 4th – 10th October.
Available for a limited time only, the Morrisons Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is ideal for curry lovers looking for an indulgent night in. At just £2.89, it’s a fraction of the cost of other limited edition pizzas available from high-street chains.
Made fresh by Morrisons foodmakers on Market Street, the 10-inch stonebaked pizza is topped with onion bhajis, spicy chicken breast, mixed peppers and dollops of Patak’s tikka masala sauce – before being finished with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Made to share, it’s perfect for a night in with family or friends.
And to offer customers an even spicier way to celebrate National Curry Week, Morrisons is bringing back its famous Volcanic Vindaloo. Available in-store now for just £2, the super hot curry is made with chargrilled marinated chicken breast pieces in an extra hot sauce with naga chilli paste and topped with a chargrilled green chilli.
Naga chillies have a Scoville rating of up to one million – 200 times hotter than Tabasco Sauce or a Jalapeño. Some Naga chilli varieties are hotter than pepper spray and others have been used to develop tear gas grenades!
Carrying a 6 chilli warning notice, the Volcanic Vindaloo is also topped with whole green chillies – roasted to intensify the flavour and heat – in the unlikely event that curry fans fancy an even bigger chilli hit.
Customers can pair their favourite dish with the new Burnin’ Bhaji – a sizzling side made with sweet onion spiced with red chilli in a crisp, golden batter – all for a pocket-friendly £1.
Morrisons Ready Meals Expert, Chris Strong, said: “Customers have been asking us to bring back our Volcanic Vindaloo so we’re excited to put it back on our shelves this October. Be warned, it packs a punch!”
Morrisons Pizza Expert, Leanne Cory, said:“Our Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is a must-try for spice lovers.
“We know our customers love trying unique pizzas with friends and the new limited edition dish is sure to be a crowd pleaser while raising temperatures. Available now on our Market Street counter for under £3, so that all our customers can enjoy this fiery treat on a budget.”
The Patak’s Tikka Masala Pizza is available now from Morrisons Market Street Pizza Counter and will be made fresh in store by Morrisons foodmakers every day until the 24th of October.
After a year hiatus, Aldi’s hugely popular Supermarket Sweep has returned and customers in one of our Edinburgh are now being given the opportunity to ‘go wild in the aisles’ and raise as much money as possible for a local foodbank.
One lucky shopper will be chosen to do a five-minute trolley dash in store and take home all the products they can grab in that time, with Aldi donating the cash value of the trolley to a local foodbank. Run in accordance with current COVID-19 safety guidelines, the shopper will also be given a list of three Scottish products they need to find. If successful, Aldi will double the cash donation to the foodbank, and the savvy shopper will get to pick a Specialbuy item of their choice*.
One of the most enjoyable ways to get in your weekly shop, local residents can apply by filling out an online application form accessed via a QR code, which will be displayed in the Gorgie Park Road store from Monday 20th to Sunday 26th September.
Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said:“The Supermarket Sweep is a hugely popular event in the Aldi calendar, and we are thrilled to bring the competition back this year and offer one local Edinburgh resident the chance to win a shopping experience like no other.
“We know how much foodbanks have struggled during the pandemic, and because we had to pause Supermarket Sweep last year, we thought we’d offer to double the cash donation if contestants can find certain Scottish products during their dash around the store.
“From Elgin to Ayr and Inverness to Hawick, we hope to give as many people across Scotland as possible a chance to take part this year and raise as much money as we can for local foodbanks in the process.”
The Supermarket Sweep will be run in line with current COVID-19 guidelines and all safety precautions, including social distancing, will be adhered to. Shoppers will be asked to nominate their chosen foodbank when applying to take part.
Entrants must be over 18 years old to take part and alcohol products are not included in the sweep.
Before the sweep, the winner will be given a shopping list of three products and if they are successfully found, they will get to select a Specialbuy item of their choice. Aldi will also double the value of their trolley and donate it to the chosen local foodbank.
Entry for the competition is free and applications open from Monday 20th – Sunday 26th September.
One lucky shopper will be selected and invited to take part in the event at the Gorgie Park Road store before Sunday 10th October. Entrants must be available to take part in the sweep after 10pm on their chosen date.
*Supermarket Sweep winner can select a Specialbuy item up to the value of £50
East Lothian based Spice Pots are the latest product to hit Aldi’s shelves for Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight. The tasty and simple to use spice mixes feature in all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland since the 5th September.
The annual campaign, launched on 4th September, celebrates the unbeatable larder which Scotland produces, and, in support of the industry, Aldi Scotland is showcasing its largest ever special-buy range of Scottish produce.
Included in this range are Spice Pots’ Dry Spice Blend in Tandoori Masala (£1.49, 40g) or Bhuna (£1.49, 40g),which are on sale from 5th September. The Dry Spice Blends are a mix of herbs, spices and ground ingredients designed to add a punch of flavour to any meal. After enjoying success in independent shops in the Lothians and beyond, the simple, healthy and tasty curry blends will be available throughout Aldi Scotland’s 96 stores while stocks last.
Founder, Melanie Auld, began the business back in 2014 after being inspired by the Indian chefs and mothers who taught her how to cook authentic curries during her time travelling and working in Chennai, India.
Melanie believes simplicity and ease is the most effective way to encourage people to eat and cook diverse and healthy foods, and with each blend developed from her own culinary experience, she is sure that Spice Pots will be every busy family’s saviour in the kitchen.
She said: “I’m an advocate for making it easy – take the short-cut. If you can do it in one pan – then do it in one pan. The idea for Spice Pots came from watching the amazing mothers and chefs I was staying with in Chennai cook for their families and friends, but it wasn’t until I was a mother myself that I realised the complexity of cooking balanced and varied meals for others.
“I had three very small children and nothing but my creativity and a tiny kitchen when it all began in 2014. From then until now the only thing that has really changed is that I have a team who are as passionate as I am, and we have the capacity to grow and bring Spice Pots to a wider market thanks to retailers such as Aldi Scotland.
“As part of our mission to make dinner time easier, we also provide our customers with recipes, instructions and inspirations for how to use their Spice Pots to complement the seasonal produce available at that time in Scotland. I am proud to be working with a retailer which really embodies my own mission to provide top quality, delicious and local products without all the fuss.”
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said:“Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight is one of the biggest dates in our calendar, allowing us to put the spotlight fully on our fantastic collection of Scottish producers.
Working with Melanie and her team to offer these tasty and simple to use Spice Pots has been a pleasure and I am sure our customers will enjoy cooking up a storm with them.
This year, we are excited to bring our largest ever Specialbuy range of Scottish sourced produce, which will truly highlight the diversity, creativity and passion of our local suppliers.”
Aldi Scotland’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight range will be in stores from 2nd September 2021, adding 46 products to its shelves in celebration of Scotland’s natural larder. Aldi currently stocks over 450 products from 90 suppliers and aims to reach 500 products within the next 2 years.
– It’s Good To Grow scheme will see in-store and online spending rewarded by giving gardening equipment and seeds to UK schoolchildren –
– Move to encourage children to eat fruit and vegetables as 70 per cent are more likely to eat produce that they have grown themselves –
Morrisons has launched ‘It’s Good To Grow’, a campaign in all of its stores that will donate gardening equipment to schoolchildren across the UK in the hope of educating kids about where their food comes from.
The scheme will see customers gain one ‘It’s Good to Grow’ token in their My Morrisons account via the app and website for every £10 that is spent in store or online, which can then be donated to any school to redeem equipment such as gardening tools, composting bins and seeds to get growing.
The National Food Strategy, published earlier this year, outlined the need for the UK to improve dietary health whilst protecting the environment, warning that a failure to do so could lead to obesity costing the NHS £15 billion by 2035.
Morrisons hopes the initiative will help build a connection between kids and healthy food by making school children more aware of the journey of food from field to fork.
New research by YouGov on behalf of Morrisons has found that some children aged six to 15 do not have a good understanding of how fruits and vegetables are grown.
For example, only 34 per cent correctly identified how asparagus is grown, with 32 per cent stating that asparagus is grown underground and 21 per cent saying they don’t know how it is grown. This highlights a need to show kids how food is grown to help them eat better now and in the future.
Being Britain’s biggest foodmaker, Morrisons is empowering children to connect with the natural world for them to better understand what they are putting into their bodies. Giving children the tools and knowledge needed can help develop better dietary habits – with research finding that out of 1,115 children surveyed aged six to 15, 70 per cent are more likely to eat produce that they have grown and cared for themselves.
Over half (56 per cent) of the children aged six to 10 in the UK are not currently eating their recommended amount of fruit and vegetables each day. The Morrisons scheme aims to build a closer relationship between children and fruit and vegetables so they can see that it can be easy and inexpensive to grow their own produce once they have the necessary skills.
Rachel Eyre, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer at Morrisons, said: “We’re really proud of the work that we do for British food and with British farmers. It’s great to be able to launch a campaign that will give our youngest customers the knowledge and equipment to gain a better understanding about where food comes from and how to grow it.
“We want children to engage with nature as it will help them to start eating more healthily now and in the future, because they are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables when they understand them or have grown them themselves.”
‘It’s Good To Grow’ aims to transform 14,000 schools in Britain into Morrisons Growing Schools by giving children additional educational resources to demonstrate the importance of improving their health, whilst making use of their environment.
This is the latest initiative introduced by Morrisons that aims to encourage a sustainable future and follows wider business commitments such as pledging to be completely supplied by net zero emission British farms by 2030 and committing to the Peas Please initiative, run by the Food Foundation, to encourage customers to eat more vegetables.
Download the My Morrisons app via the App Store and Google Play to start earning ‘It’s Good to Grow’ tokens that can be donated to schools for them to redeem gardening equipment.
Animal protection charity The Humane League UK has filed a Judicial Review against Defra’s allowance of the widespread use of fast growing breeds of chicken, contrary to legislation that bans the keeping of animals if their breeding causes ‘detriment to their health and welfare’.
The Humane League UK argues that the standard industry use of breeds of chicken who grow unnaturally large, unnaturally fast is unlawful, and challenges Defra’s current position allowing the use of these extreme breeds.
Pru Elliott, Senior Campaigner at The Humane League UK, said: ”There’s an assumption that because intensively breeding chickens to grow unnaturally fast is standard practice, it is therefore legal. But looking at the legislation it’s crystal clear that the law is being flouted in standard chicken production.”
The case asks the court to determine that Defra’s policy to permit the current standard of farming fast-growing ‘FrankenChickens’ in the country is in breach of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. The rule states:
Animals may only be kept for farming purposes if it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of their genotype or phenotype, that they can be kept without any detrimental effect on their health or welfare.
Elliott continued: “We believe Defra has an unlawful policy in permitting the use of these breeds and should instead be stipulating that they cannot be used. We also believe they have an unlawful monitoring system in place that fails to detect the scale of welfare issues associated with fast growing chickens.”
Broiler chickens have been genetically selected over decades to prioritise for fast growth, to produce as much meat in the shortest possible time. As a result, they can suffer from a wide range of health and welfare issues. Last year an investigation by The Humane League UK revealed that the muscle disease white striping, caused by fast growth, was present in over 8 in 10 standard packets of chicken on supermarket shelves.
The challenge comes after the RSPCA published a scientific report in 2020 comparing the welfare of three different breeds of fast growing chicken. It showed that the fast growing breeds have poorer health and welfare than a slower growing breed. Three further scientific studies by the University of Bristol, the University of Guelph, and the Royal Veterinary College all support these findings.
Despite the clear scientific consensus and the findings from numerous undercover investigations on broiler farms using these breeds, Defra’s position is that fast growing breeds can be kept without detriment to their health or welfare, as stated in its responses to The Humane League UK’s pre-action correspondence.
Edie Bowles, Solicitor at Advocates for Animals and representing The Humane League UK in this case, said: “The law is clear that farmed animals can only be kept if the breed used will not experience detriment to their health or welfare. The science clearly shows that fast growing broilers cannot be kept without such detriment. It is therefore evident that keeping fast growing broilers is unlawful.”
The case also challenges the ‘trigger system,’ Defra’s monitoring system aimed at detecting welfare issues associated with commercial broilers. The trigger system requires vets at abattoirs to report welfare issues, but only if they occur above a given threshold as set out in Defra’s Code of Practice. The Humane League UK believes the threshold set by Defra is too high.
The high threshold results in countless welfare issues not being reported and dealt with. This is contrary to the 2007 farm animal welfare regulations which state: ‘If the mortality rate of the chickens or the results of the post-mortem inspection are consistent with poor animal welfare conditions, the official veterinarian must communicate the data to the keeper of those chickens and to the Secretary of State without delay.’
Charities have been campaigning for food companies to commit to ending the use of fast-growing FrankenChickens by asking them to sign up to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), which demands slower growing breeds, more space, natural light and enrichment, less painful slaughter methods and third-party auditing.
KFC, Nando’s, Greggs, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose are among the 250+ companies in the UK and EU to have committed to the BCC, but supermarkets including Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Lidl are refusing.
ALDI – GLASCOTE TAMWORTH FOOD DONATION – TAMWORTH HEART CHARITY
Pictures by Adam Fradgley
Pictured:
Lisa Richards (Aldi) and Simon Peaple (Tamworth Heart) with the trolley of donated items at the Tamworth store
Local charities across Edinburgh and the Lothians helped Aldi donate 22,752 meals to people in need over the summer school holidays.
The supermarket paired up its stores with local charities, community groups and foodbanks to donate surplus food, with the majority of meals going to causes supporting families and children.
The donation is part of Aldi’s commitment to donate 10 million meals across the country in 2021, in partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly.
Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “We were proud to support so many incredible causes across Edinburgh and the Lothians this summer, helping them to donate meals to those in need.
“The school holidays can be a hard time for families, particularly when many are experiencing heightened financial hardship due to the pandemic, and this is why we committed to donating more meals than ever before.”
Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “The summer school holidays are always one of the busiest times for the nation’s charities and food banks, but this year things were even busier. Aldi’s donations have never been more of a vital support to these organisations.”
Aldi stores across the country work with Neighbourly to partner with local charities, who can collect surplus food and perishable products, such as fruit, vegetables and baked goods, up to seven days a week.
Morrisons is offering free water refills nationwide at all of its petrol forecourts, as well as in store, to encourage customers and motorists to make the switch from single-use plastic to refillable bottles.
Over 14 billion single-use plastic bottles are used each year in the UK – equal to 39 million a day – with the majority purchased on-the-go or at work. However, new research has found that 63 per cent of people would like to do more to reduce plastic, but claim the biggest barrier to taking action is a lack of plastic free alternatives.
At Morrisons petrol forecourt kiosks, customers will now be able to hand their reusable bottles to attendants who will fill them up for free, before sanitising them and returning them to the customer. The service will be available at all of Morrisons 338 filling stations nationwide.
The move comes after a 12 week Morrisons trial in August 2020 where 18 per cent fewer single-use water bottles were sold, in comparison to the same period the previous year. Morrisons is therefore extending the refill service following the trial’s success.
Morrisons has already installed over 300 stand-alone water fountains in the Food-to-Go sections of its stores for customers to fill their bottles on-the-go. It was also one of the first to offer water refills in all of its cafe stores nationwide in 2018.
Natasha Cook, Sustainability Manager at Morrisons, said:“When we listen to customers, it’s clear they want us to help them reduce the amount of single-use plastic they throw away.
“We know that customers often pick up a bottle of water when paying for petrol, so offering free water should be an effective way of reducing these single-use plastic bottles.”
Natalie Fée, CEO and founder of City to Sea, said: “Plastic water bottles are one of the most commonly found single-use plastic items on our beaches and in our oceans, which is why we have to make refilling our water bottles the new normal.
“Our free Refill app shows you where you can top up your bottle for free and now includes the 338 Morrisons petrol stations – which is absolutely brilliant news for people and the planet!
“But this isn’t just about water, it’s about all highly polluting single-use plastics. That’s why Refill now shows you where you can eat, drink and shop with less plastic and why City to Sea welcomed the fantastic news of Morrisons trialling refillable milk bottles back in store. Refill and reuse is the future of packaging, and Morrisons are taking big steps in helping us on this journey.”
Free petrol station and in store refills is the latest plastic reduction initiative from Morrisons who has reduced plastic in their 497 stores by over 8,000 tonnes of our own brand plastic packaging since 2017.
Other moves include Morrisons being the first supermarket to ditch plastic carrier bags in favour of paper carrier bags, using traditional paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables, plus introducing a refillable container service on fish, meat and deli counters to reduce single-use packaging.
Customers can locate refill stations by using the Refill App and www.refill.org.uk.
