Asda meat supplier shuts site after Covid-19 outbreak

Asda's meat factory has temporarily shut down following the outbreak (Photo: Google)
Asda's meat factory has temporarily shut down following the outbreak (Photo: Google)

A West Yorkshire meat site which supplies Asda has temporarily shut its doors following a Covid-19 outbreak.

The retailer shut down the Kober Ltd factory on Friday 19 June while the outbreak is being dealt with, and is expected to reopen early this week.

In a statement, Asda, which owned the factory, said it had 'existing strict safety measures' in place on the site.

"As a precautionary measure we have voluntarily closed the site to protect colleagues and prevent any further transmission.

“As soon as we became aware that some colleagues at our Kober site may have Covid-19, we responded swiftly and worked collaboratively with the local authority and Public Health England to test all colleagues.”

The supermarket chain added that those who needed to self-isolate would receive full pay.

It comes after 2 Sisters - which produces a third of all poultry products consumed in the UK - was forced to shut its Welsh meat plant after an outbreak infected 13 factory workers.

A statement issued by the company said it was a 'key priority' to 'provide the safest possible working environment'.

"We have had a series of measures in place for some time including regular and intensive deep cleaning and disinfecting regimes, the wearing of protective visors in production areas and implementing social distancing throughout the factory," a spokesman said.