Morrisons is to have CCTV cameras installed in all of its own abattoirs by the end of the year.

The cameras will be installed in the Colne and Turriff abattoirs, operated by Morrisons’ wholly owned meat processing business, Woodhead Brothers. It already has cameras at its Spalding site.

“Our customers want to know animals are treated well through the slaughtering process and we believe installing CCTV cameras is the best way to demonstrate that we have the best possible standards,” said Morrisons group manufacturing director Martyn Fletcher.

Footage from the cameras will be stored for 30 days and made available to the Food Standards Agency.

The move follows calls from the RSPCA earlier this year – made with FSA backing – for the addition of CCTV cameras to all abattoirs.

Those sites affected by today’s announcement supply Morrisons with 95% of its fresh lamb, beef and pork. The remainder, together with poultry meat, is externally sourced.

Read more
Hidden halal: an acceptable side to multicultural Britain? (analysis; 25 September 2010)
Meat plants face ‘covert surveillance’ by activists (25 September 2010)
RSPCA hopes to make CCTV mandatory (6 March 2010)

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