Humbug for meat lovers as UK faces shortage of beloved Christmas trimming
There are some elements of a Christmas dinner which many Brits can’t go without.
From the turkey and stuffing to roast potatoes and cranberry sauce, there are some elements which simply can’t be skipped over – unless you’re vegetarian, of course.
But fans of one porky accompaniment could be left disappointed this festive season.
Pigs in blankets, AKA pork sausages wrapped in a slice of bacon, could be in short supply this year, due to vet strikes.
The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA), which represents the meat processing industry, has warned over chaos caused by industrial action by government vets in Northern Ireland.
Union members of the Veterinary Service Animal Health Group (VSAHG) and Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA) are currently taking part in five-day industrial action over pay, which is set to end on Friday, November 3.
During this period, no slaughter of cattle, pigs, sheep and poultry was able to take place across the whole of Northern Ireland because there wouldn’t be any government vets on-site in abbatoirs.
Nick Allen, CEO of the BMPA, warned disruption could last for months, telling the Mirror: ‘It will mean that meat plants will have to cease operations, causing loss of income for those businesses, and disrupting food supply chains.
‘This is a particular worry as we enter the busiest period of the year in the run-up to Christmas when our members are preparing festive products like hams and pigs in blankets for the Christmas market.
‘It could also prove sensitive for the UK government which is currently working on an agreement with the DUP over the Windsor Framework.
‘The vets’ walkout could expose the scale of border checks that are still needed to get food from the UK mainland to Northern Ireland – even through the new “green lane” – and will demonstrate that the Irish Sea border has not been removed.’
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has warned the industrial action ‘is likely to present issues in relation to animal health and welfare, public health and continuity of agri-food supply chains’.
But the British Retail Consortium has tried to downplay the effect the strikes could have on our Christmas dinner plates.
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the Consortium, said: ‘These strikes are only affecting a small part of the UK’s supply chain.
‘Retailers are adept at dealing with disruption and will do everything they can to ensure supply lines aren’t impacted.’
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