supermarkets – Page 14 – The NEN

Charity launches legal challenge over UK Government’s failure to prevent use of ‘FrankenChickens’

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 donates over 22,000 meals to Edinburgh and Lothian charities over the school summer holidays

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 offers free water refills to customers at its forecourts

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.

Aldi hiring 140 staff across Edinburgh and The Lothians

Aldi is looking to hire over 140 colleagues in Edinburgh and The Lothians between now and Christmas.

The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is looking for people of all levels of experience to fill roles at its stores and distribution centres across the region.

This includes apprenticeships and part-time positions such as Warehouse Cleaner and Stock Assistant, all the way up to Deputy Manager.

Stores in Edinburgh and The Lothians where Aldi is looking to hire include Bathgate, Hermiston Gait and Livingston.

The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive in recent years, with the supermarket currently looking to fill thousands of roles across the UK before the end of the year.

Kelly Stokes, Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to grow, we’re looking for more ambitious and hard-working individuals to join our team at stores across Edinburgh and The Lothians.

“There’s something here for everyone, from new starters looking to take their first step on the career ladder to more experienced team managers seeking a new challenge.

“Our amazing colleagues are central to everything we do at Aldi and remain one of the key factors in our success. We’re looking forward to welcoming our new recruits to the team.”

Those interested in applying for a career with Aldi can visit

www.aldirecruitment.co.uk.

Aldi adds a splash of gin-spiration to your summer drink

Pimms not packing a punch? Well get ready to be gin-spired by the newest additions to the Scottish gin range at Aldi.

You can never tell what you’re going to get with a Scottish summer, but Aldi is channelling all the sunshine this August with brand new additions to its Toradh gin range including two new Scottish Gin Liqueurs and four delicious pre-mixed Gin Fizz cocktails – making sure your summer drink has that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’, even if you didn’t quite make it to the Riviera.

At just £1.49 for 250ml (6% ABV), the Rhubarb Gin Fizz, Citrus Gin Fizz, Tropical Gin Martini and Fruit Gin Bramble are the perfect tipples to enjoy while taking in the rays. These handy cocktails in a can are made by long term supplier Eden Mill and with four to pick from you are guaranteed to find a favourite….or four.

Bursting with botanicals, the two brand-new Toradh Gin Liqueurs are priced at just £8.99 for 50cl and come in Rhubarb and Ginger or Raspberry. The perfect addition to any drinks cabinet, the liqueurs can be topped up with Aldi’s own Ridge Valley tonic, or topped with Aldi’s Costellore Prosecco (£5.99, 75cl) for the perfect summer evening cocktail.

These new additions to Aldi’s Scottish gin line-up join Aldi’s award-winning* Scottish Gin range including its premium Scottish Gin, Eidyn (£19.99, 70cl) and Toradh Scottish Rhubarb & Ginger Gin and Premium Pink Gin (£14.99, 70cl) and the Botanical Project Scottish Gin available in Scottish Dry, Passionfruit & Coconut, Plum & Pink Grapefruit and Chilli & Ginger (all £15.99, 70cl), and McQueen Colour Changing Gin (£14.49, 70cl).

Aldi’s new summer flavours are on sale now at all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland and are sure to shake up any BBQ or garden-party this August. You can find your nearest Aldi store here.

Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, and after reaching their initial goal of stocking over 450 Scottish products by the end of 2020, the supermarket has now increased this target to stock over 500 locally sourced products in the next two years.

Morrisons launches Back to School Packs to support families in need

– Back To School Pick Up Packs containing essential stationery items to be distributed to local schools and community groups –

– New scheme follows the success of food packs in store that has so far seen over £1 million of food donated to those in need in 2021 –

Morrisons is giving customers the opportunity to support children and their families who may struggle with the cost of going back to school by creating stationery Pick Up Packs in store which can be bought and donated in time for the new school year.

Pre-packed bags will be available to purchase each day and will contain popular items needed to get children ready for returning to school such as pens, pencils, rubbers, rulers and maths sets.

Customers can pick up a pack on their way into the store, pay for the items at the till and then place the bag in a dedicated donation station. Store Community Champions will then collect and distribute the packs to local schools and community groups.

The packs will cost up to £5 and will vary on price depending on the products inside each pack.

Back to School Pick Up Packs is the latest scheme introduced by Morrisons to help make it easier for its customers to help those in their local community and follows the success of Pick Up Packs for food which has seen over £1 million donated to local food banks this year.

Rebecca Singleton, Customer & Community Director at Morrisons, said: “Going back to school can be both a nervous and exciting time for families. We hope these packs go some way to helping local children and their families who may struggle with the costs of going back to school – and take one thing off the to do list.”

Morrisons has committed £15million across 2020 and 2021 to support stocking food banks in local communities as well as introducing initiatives such as ‘Ask for Sandy’ which helps to fight back against period poverty by offering customers in need a discreet package of sanitary protection products.

Morrisons slash Prosecco to less than a fiver for bank holiday

Customers can save £12.50 on champagne too

Morrisons has some stand-out deals on beers and wine this bank holiday weekend.

Customers can save up to £12.50 on selected bottles of champagne, that’s more than a third of the retail price. Prosecco has also been slashed to less than a fiver per bottle and 12 packs of beer are less than a tenner.

Morrisons is also helping customers who want to stock up on wines with a third off selected bottles including 19 Crimes, Most Wanted, Jacob’s Creek and Campo Viejo.

Please find full information below:

Kids eat free in Morrisons all summer long

This summer, Morrisons is letting kids eat free in its cafes all day, every day.

Throughout the summer holidays, with every adult meal over £4.50, customers can also get a kid’s meal absolutely free.

The deal is available at Morrisons cafes nationwide and will run throughout the summer holidays to help parents get more value for money during breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Salads, fish & chips, pies, burgers, and pizzas are all available for the adult meal with mac ‘n’ cheese, fish goujons, sandwich boxes and more available on the kids’ menu. Each kids’ meal also includes a piece of fruit and a drink.

Ali Lyons, Head of Cafes at Morrisons said: “We know that feeding the whole family during the summer holidays can quickly add up and so we’re pleased to be running our Kids Eat Free All Day deal.

“We recently introduced a brand-new menu and have invested heavily in coronavirus safety measures such as screens and our contactless ‘Order & Pay’ app.

“This means that whether you are popping into your local Morrison’s to do some grocery shopping or passing by one on a day-out you’ll have a safe and cost-effective option when thinking about ways to feed the children.”

Kids Eat Free All Day is currently live and will run until 5th September. The offer only applies when any one adult meal with a value of £4.50 or over is purchased.

For more information and to see the cafe menu, visit:

my.morrisons.com/blog/food/new-cafe-menu/

Which brew are you?

Aldi launches summer Scottish Beer Festival

Aldi has launched its summer Scottish Beer Festival with a fun quiz, designed to help customers find the best Scottish craft beer to suit their personality.

Aldi’s ‘Which Brew Are You’ asks people a few simple questions to identify their personality type. The quiz then breaks down four personas, from the ‘Hipster’ to the ‘Strong, Mysterious Soul,’ ‘The Cool Character’ and the ‘Adventure Seeker,’ and pairs each with a selection of top quality Scottish craft beers, chosen by Aldi experts, to suit the tastes of the individual.

Aldi’s summer Scottish Beer Festival launches on Thursday 29^th July across all 96 stores in Scotland and will showcase 30 unique craft beers from 14 of the best local craft breweries, with prices starting at just £1.49.

From fruity IPAs to crisp Lagers and hoppy Pale Ales, there is something to suit every palate. For Aldi’s ‘Cool Character’ a simple Lager or Pilsner would be the go to brew, such as Bellfield’s Bhoemian Pilsner or Genius Brewing’s Gen!us Craft Lager.

For the ‘Hipster’, Aldi suggests Barney’s Beer’s Cranberry Margarita or Hidden Lane Brewery’s RS Raspberry Saison. Meanwhile, for the ‘Adventure Seeker’ there is nothing quite like a Scottish crafted IPA or Pale Ale to round off the day, and customers can choose from a range of brews including Stewart Brewing’s Island Getaway, Loch Lomond Brewery’s Too Orangey For Crows, or Six° North’s Slipstream IPA.

Finally, Aldi’s ‘Strong, Mysterious Soul’ can choose from a range of stouts and ginger beers, including Loch Lomond Brewery’s Mocha Doodle DHU and Glasgow Beer Works Jaggery Imperial Stout.

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Our summer Scottish Beer Festival has launched at exactly the right time, giving Scots the chance to sip on cold, refreshing beer during a rare spell of good weather.

“To mark this, we wanted to do something a bit different, and have created a fun quiz which helps people explore the range and find the right craft beer for them.

“We are all naturally drawn to the products we are most familiar with, and while it might not be an exact science, our ‘Which Brew Are You’ quiz will allow customers to discover new tastes and flavour profiles. Every beer we have in stock is of an exceptionally high quality and is sourced locally from top breweries, so no matter your choice, you won’t be disappointed.

“We are committed to supporting the Scottish craft beer industry and are exceptionally proud of the relationships we have established with local breweries. As we look to the future, we will remain committed to our suppliers and will continue to grow our partnerships.”

Aldi’s summer Scottish Beer Festival launches in stores across Scotland tomorrow (Thursday 29^th July).

You can find your nearest Aldi here. 

Charging Ahead: Morrisons to expand largest network of ultra-fast electric car charging points

– Morrisons has more rapid charging points for electric vehicles than any UK supermarket –

– Electric cars are charged six times more quickly than standard charging points used at other supermarkets –

– Morrisons will expand to a further 100 locations in the next twelve months –

– Its charging network has already saved 2,000 tonnes of carbon to date –

Morrisons is expanding the UK’s largest supermarket network of ‘next generation’ rapid electric charging points for electric vehicles, allowing customers to charge the majority of cars from flat to full battery in under 45 minutes.

Over the next twelve months Morrisons will add an additional 100 rapid chargers to its network. Having recently installed its 200th GeniePoint rapid charge point, Morrisons has also saved 2,000 tonnes of carbon along the way. The network now provides full coverage in both England and Wales, spanning from Redruth in the tip of Cornwall to Amble in the North East of England. A roll out in Scotland will begin this month.

Morrisons ‘next generation’ rapid chargers can charge an electric car up to six times quicker than standard charging points used by other supermarkets.

They will enable customers to charge their car up even during a short shopping trip or a quick visit to a Morrisons Cafe. A typical 30-40 minute charge will give drivers up to 100 miles of travel range. Over the course of the summer, Morrisons is expecting to serve over half a million kilowatt hours of green energy, as more families travel during their summer holidays in the UK.

Morrisons partnership with EQUANS means that customers will never be more than 50 miles from a rapid charger. The GeniePoint charging points have been located around the perimeter of Morrisons car parks to ensure they are available to those who need them and not obstructed by other customers.

Andrew Ball, Fuel & Services Manager of Morrisons, said: “We know customers don’t want to spend hours waiting for their cars to charge, which is why we’ve made the decision to install the next generation of rapid chargers.

“It’s important that we continue to offer our customers the convenience of charging their EVs as they shop or eat with us. This summer, whether they’re hitting the coast or visiting the beautiful countryside, customers can take comfort in knowing they are always close to one of our charging points.”

All of the electricity used for charging will come from zero-carbon energy sources like wind and solar.

Recent figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that there are more than 450,000 EVs on UK roads, of which approximately 50% are battery operated vehicles*.

Demand for reliable, rapid electric vehicle charging facilities is growing and drivers want to see chargers situated at convenient locations where their vehicles can be charged whilst they carry on with their day-to-day activities.

Morrisons customers can register to use the GeniePoint chargers via the web app www.geniepoint.co.uk, which is free to join. There is no monthly fee and drivers only pay for the electricity they use which costs 35-39p per kW hour. Customers can also pay for a charge via the GeniePoint App, available from the App Store or Google Play, or by RFID card.