Asda confirms it will never stock chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef as Brexit trade talks continue

Asda joins the ranks of other major UK supermarkets Waitrose, Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Co-op Food who have made similar commitments to maintain the UK's high food and animal welfare standards, regardless of the outcomes of a UK-US trade deal.

A spokesperson for Asda said: "We have no intention of changing our current animal welfare and food safety standards and we can confirm that we will never stock chlorinated chicken or hormone-injected beef.”

The announcement follows the launch of an open letter signed by 150,000 consumers, coordinated by campaigning group 38 Degrees.

In addition more than 188,000 members of the public are calling on the government to take a harder line in negotiations - and commit to taking animal welfare and food standards off the table during trade talks. The government is yet to make a legally binding commitment.

Responding to the news, Jess Hodge, campaigner at 38 Degrees, said: “It’s great news that ASDA is the latest supermarket to respond to overwhelming pressure from the British public, by making clear that chlorinated chicken and hormone-treated beef won’t make it anywhere near their supermarket shelves as a result of trade deals with the USA.

“It’s time the government listened to that same public pressure and took our animal welfare and food standards off the table in trade talks. We’re now seeing supermarket bosses more in tune with public opinion than the Prime Minister - this should be the wake up call the government needs.”