Owner and CEO of 2 Sisters Food Group, Ranjit Singh Boparan, has apologised for the mistakes that appeared on footage recorded during an undercover investigation by the Guardian and ITV almost four weeks ago, while appearing in front of the Commons environment, food and rural affairs committee inquiry.
Boparan accepted mistakes had been made and pledged to improve standards at the factory, increase training of the company’s workforce and install closed circuit television to supervise staff.
However, regarding allegations of altering kill dates, he contested that footage showing an employee changing a kill date on a crate was a breach of regulations.
The worker shown in the particular footage has since been dismissed by the company, after 2 Sisters instigated disciplinary action, citing allegations that he had breached food safety regulations.
When asked by MPs, Boparan said that changing kill dates should only be done by a quality control worker and not by a member of production.
The chairman of the committee, Neil Parish, said he would accept Boparan’s apology, adding: “What he said today was recorded and is on the record.
“I accept his word that he will improve and put things right. But God help him if he’s got to come here again and he hasn’t put it right.”
The committee also heard from Mark Proctor, from BRC Global Standards, Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, Jason Feeney, chief executive of the FSA, and Jim Moseley, chief executive of the Red Tractor food quality scheme.
Responding to a question from Parish on why the FSA “did not know what was going on in this plant”, Feeney said: “We can’t man-mark every employee on every shift in every factory across the country. What we have to do is periodic inspections and interventions”.
FSA said it was still investigating the allegations and it has not yet ruled out prosecuting the company.
Feeney added: “We’re gathering evidence from a range of sources, including the business itself. We have extended that investigation beyond this particular plant to other 2 Sisters plants within the group.”
However, the committee accused the bodies’ representatives of being “culpable” for the standards exposed at the plant and pledged to launch a more “thorough parliamentary inquiry into food standards next year”.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
