Morrisons looks set to use the controversy over antibiotics in farming to differentiate its meat offering, with the possible launch of a new brand called ‘Morrisons Raised Without Antibiotics’.
The retailer has registered the phrase with the Intellectual Property Office for product categories such as meat, poultry and eggs, but declined to comment on its plans this week.
Launching a meat brand free of antibiotics was “a good aspiration”, said British Poultry Council director of food policy Richard Griffiths, but he cautioned that the poultry sector - seen as the most advanced in terms of antibiotic reduction in the UK - was “not in a position where we can guarantee that at the moment”.
His comments were echoed by National Pig Association CEO Zoe Davies, who said the trademark was “not a surprise as it differentiates Morrisons from other retailers”. But there were big questions over animal welfare and the ability to guarantee a steady supply of antibiotic-free animals in supply chains.
“What happens if an animal gets sick?” Davies added. “There’s also a chance that consumers would get confused and think any product that didn’t carry this label contained antibiotics.”
It comes as a study by The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics revealed “extremely high levels” of e.coli resistance to essential antibiotics were found in chicken and pork sold in British supermarkets. G20 leaders also this week pledged to further explore ways to combat antimicrobial resistance and support research into creating new antibiotics.
Pork processor Karro Food Group registered a trademark showing a pig’s head with ‘antibiotic free’ written above it earlier this year. It said there was significant demand for such a range and was “proud to boast an antibiotic-free herd”.
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