Express & Star

2 Sisters: West Bromwich plant scandal is 'not a one-off'

Food hygiene issues at the scandal hit 2 Sisters chicken plant in Sandwell are 'not a one-off', according to MPs, who have branded the firm's past record 'far from pristine'.

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The 2 Sisters plant in West Bromwich

A parliamentary inquiry was launched into the plant in West Bromwich after undercover filming revealed poor hygiene standards and food safety records being altered.

Last month 2 Sisters boss, Bilston-born Ranjit Singh Boparan, apologised for alleged food safety breaches, but insisted that there was no 'culture of cost cutting' at the site.

A report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) released today, said: "The problems identified at the 2 Sisters plant at West Bromwich are not a one-off.

"The past record of the 2 Sisters Food Group is far from pristine and there are valid questions to be asked of its corporate governance structure."

Committee chairman Neil Parish, said the inquiry should serve as 'a wake-up call' for firms and 'cause them to improve their processes and remove any loopholes that may exist'.

"Food supply chains are sensitive and easy to disrupt when retailers and consumers lose confidence in food quality or safety," he added.

"Large producers and retailers have a responsibility to protect, rather than undermine, the UK's food producers."

Production at the factory was temporarily shut down after an undercover reporter working at the site claimed to witness a host of prohibited practices.

They included workers tampering with slaughter dates, mixing meat of different ages and changing source codes on crates of meat – all of which can artificially extend the product's shelf life and make it untraceable in the event of an outbreak of food poisoning.

The report said Mr Boparan wrote to the committee on November 10 to confirm commitments he made during his hearing, including placing a full-time food safety inspector at all of his plants.

He has also committed to inviting the committee to visit to a 2 Sisters Food Group plant, installing CCTV with complete coverage in all plants within 120 days, and putting mystery workers into all factories by the end of January next year to identify any employees breaking site rules.

Mr Parish added: "It is important that consumers in both the UK and in our vital export markets feel confident in the quality of our food standards.

"We have made it quite clear that we take his assurances very seriously. We will be closely monitoring their implementation."

Sandwell Council, which has responsibility for food labelling in the borough, has vowed to review its inspection procedures in the wake of the scandal.