Food workers exempt from self-isolation as UK “pingdemic” disrupts supply chains

23 Jul 2021 --- Some food industry supply chain workers will now be exempt from self-isolation rules that have led to the so-called “pingdemic” that has been accelerating across Britain this week. In the wake of growing concerns about empty supermarket shelves, the UK government has introduced a new daily testing scheme that will allow many food workers to continue working, regardless of vaccination status.

This policy is to start at major supermarket depots across the country, where employees will be screened for COVID-19. However, the scheme does not apply to in-store retail staff, who must remain in self-isolation if “pinged” by the National Health Service’s contact-tracing app.

One of the sectors hardest hit recently by the enforcement of contact-tracing has been the UK’s meat industry.

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Nick Allen, CEO of the British Meat Processors Association (BPMA), shares his frontline outlook on the supply chain imbalances, which the new policy aims to address.

“The impact is already being felt by consumers as they have a reduced choice of products on the shelves,” he remarks. “Companies are re-deploying their remaining staff to work across production lines to keep them going.”

“But, this has resulted in a reduced variety of products being produced, with those that require more time and skill to produce being cut first.”

UK Environment Secretary George Eustice has noted that “up to 500” distribution centers and food supply chain hubs are currently eligible for the new testing scheme. Starting today, fifteen “priority testing sites” will facilitate daily testing for workers so that they can continue working if they test negative each day, instead of having to self-isolate.

Next week, the system will be rolled across 150 supermarket depots and “several hundred” food manufacturing sites.

There has been major disruption at meat plants across the UK.“A real air of despondency”
If not addressed, critical shortages of talent across British industry could pose a more structural and longer-term threat to food companies, industry stakeholders have warned.

While the new policy promises some relief, industry is already bracing for the worst potential outcome. Should the UK workforce situation deteriorate further, companies will be forced to start shutting down production lines altogether, Allen stresses.

“So, it’s for this reason that we’ve been calling on the government for months to add butchers to the Shortage Occupation List, which would allow the industry to temporarily fill these growing vacancies with overseas workers until the current crisis has passed.”

The latest feedback BMPA has received from its members is that the shortage of skills and workers for permanent positions is reaching a critically high level. “We’ve heard reports of plants having between 10 and 16 percent vacancies even before absenteeism due to COVID-19 is factored-in,” says Allen.

“On top of the underlying worker shortage, we’re also hearing from some members that between 5 and 10 percent of their workforce have been ‘pinged’ by the app and asked to self-isolate.”

“There’s a real air of despondency creeping through the industry. Every morning, management meetings in meat plants up and down the country now start with the questions: ‘Who’s turned up to work? What skills are we missing today? How can we quickly rearrange our production to keep the plant running?’.”

“Depending on which staff show up for work, different product lines will be affected. But, in general, the shortage of workers affects products that require more labor to produce, and it’s these lines that are the first to be cut.”

The “pingdemic” has led to concerns over empty supermarket shelves over the last few days.

Lack of definitive guidance
Food supply chains are still “right on the edge of failing,” as BMPA puts it. But to date it stresses that industry at large has still not received any definitive guidance from government. 

Moreover, industry has been given contradictory statements over the last few days that offer limited aid for companies wanting to plan and manage production. Allen adds: “According to the latest verbal advice we’ve been given, we think that exemptions will be very selective and difficult to qualify for.”

“At this stage, we understand that companies may have to apply separately for an exemption for each individual worker. This would throw up an added wall of bureaucracy and be completely unsuited to managing a fast-moving-production line that’s made up of people with multiple different, but equally vital skills.”

Impact on supermarkets
At the start of the pandemic, the UK government had temporarily relaxed elements of competition law as part of a package of measures to allow supermarkets to work together to feed the nation amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

But currently, Britain’s groceries have stressed that the self-isolation protocols imposed upon their workers have already begun to affect the availability of certain offerings.

“The ongoing ‘pingdemic’ is putting increasing pressure on retailers’ ability to maintain opening hours and keep shelves stocked,” comments Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium.

“Government needs to act fast,” he urges. “Retail workers and suppliers, who have played a vital role throughout this pandemic, should be allowed to work provided they are double vaccinated or can show a negative COVID-19 test, to ensure there is no disruption to the public’s ability to get food and other goods.”

“With community cases soaring, the number of healthy retail staff having to self-isolate is rising fast, disrupting retail operations.”

Co-op commented that it was “running low on some products,” adding that soft drinks and beer were among the F&B items worst affected. Iceland expressed concerns that some shops might have to be closed, while urging its shoppers not to panic buy.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s remarked that it “might not always” have the exact products in high demand, but commented that the issue is not widespread.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson, comments: “Retailers are working closely with government to identify hundreds of key distribution sites that will benefit from the new daily contact testing scheme.”

“It is absolutely vital that government makes up for lost time and rolls out this new scheme as fast as possible,” she stresses.
“Disruption is limited at the moment, and retailers are monitoring the situation closely. Government will need to continue to listen to the concerns of the retail industry in the coming days and must be prepared to take further action if necessary.”

By Benjamin Ferrer