UK supermarket supplier’s chickens given antibiotics critical for humans

Investigation of meat sourced by Polish firm that sells frozen poultry to Lidl, Asda and Iceland raises superbug concerns

A major supplier of chicken to UK supermarkets is sourcing birds dosed with antibiotics “critical to human health”, according to a new investigation, as concerns grow about the spread of deadly superbugs.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) found that the Polish meat business SuperDrob, which sells frozen poultry products to Lidl, Asda and Iceland, is sourcing chicken from farms that use fluoroquinolone antibiotics, classified as “critically important for human health” by the World Health Organization (WHO). Fluoroquinolones are often used to treat serious salmonella infections in humans.