Sally Furniss
Well-known member
Bird flu restrictions end
http://www.becclesandbungayjournal....gory=news&itemid=NOED15 Mar 2007 18:05:18:733
15 March 2007
The last restrictions to stop the spread of avian flu were lifted at the weekend and poultry farmers and producers in the Halesworth area breathed a sigh of relief.
They had been in place since the H5N1 strain of the virus was found at Bernard Matthews plant at Holton - but at just after midnight on Friday the protection zone was lifted from a 10-km radius around the Bernard Matthews farm, leaving farmers to move their birds freely and sell them without a licence.
There are still some controls from meat which came from the affected area while restrictions were in place, however.
No further cases of bird flu have been found anywhere in the UK since the outbreak at Holton was identified at the beginning of February.
But in the wake of the crisis Bernard Matthews has laid off more than 220 staff as a result of the fall in its sales since the outbreak - around 70 of them at Holton, where 1,100 are employed. As reported last week, 45 were laid off on Thursday.
A Bernard Matthews spokesman said: ?It was regrettably decided that Bernard Matthews will temporarily lay off an additional 45 staff with effect from March 8. Bernard Matthews remains dedicated to doing everything possible to restore consumer confidence and limit the number of job losses.?
In a bid to do that the company launched a ?7m advertising campaign fronted by Bernard Matthews himself, in full page adverts in the regional and national press emphasising that turkey products were perfectly safe to eat. That brought criticism from some quarters, people saying it was a lot of money when workers were being paid only ?200 compensation.
Bart Dalla Mura, Bernard Matthews' chief executive, said the ?7m campaign was designed to restore faith in the brand and improve sales.
?The first part of the campaign is the advertisements from the chairman and that is about drawing a line under this outbreak. We have taken soundings from our consumers, and they said they wanted to hear the reassurance from Mr Matthews himself.?
The second phase will include new packaging, a reduction in salt and fat content in many lines and the launch of several new products.
Mr Dalla Mura said: ?We had always planned a campaign for April and May to revitalise and refresh the brand.?
The full-page adverts, signed by Mr Matthews, refer to the famous television adverts of more than 10 years ago which featured the company chairman personally, and say:
?As a result of this scare, our products have gone through the most rigorous independent scientific tests available to confirm they are 100pc safe.
?That is why all leading supermarkets have continued to stock our products and you can continue to enjoy them.?
Mr Dalla Mura was unable to give reassurances about whether laid-off staff will get their jobs back,
or whether there will be more lay-offs.
http://www.becclesandbungayjournal....gory=news&itemid=NOED15 Mar 2007 18:05:18:733
15 March 2007
The last restrictions to stop the spread of avian flu were lifted at the weekend and poultry farmers and producers in the Halesworth area breathed a sigh of relief.
They had been in place since the H5N1 strain of the virus was found at Bernard Matthews plant at Holton - but at just after midnight on Friday the protection zone was lifted from a 10-km radius around the Bernard Matthews farm, leaving farmers to move their birds freely and sell them without a licence.
There are still some controls from meat which came from the affected area while restrictions were in place, however.
No further cases of bird flu have been found anywhere in the UK since the outbreak at Holton was identified at the beginning of February.
But in the wake of the crisis Bernard Matthews has laid off more than 220 staff as a result of the fall in its sales since the outbreak - around 70 of them at Holton, where 1,100 are employed. As reported last week, 45 were laid off on Thursday.
A Bernard Matthews spokesman said: ?It was regrettably decided that Bernard Matthews will temporarily lay off an additional 45 staff with effect from March 8. Bernard Matthews remains dedicated to doing everything possible to restore consumer confidence and limit the number of job losses.?
In a bid to do that the company launched a ?7m advertising campaign fronted by Bernard Matthews himself, in full page adverts in the regional and national press emphasising that turkey products were perfectly safe to eat. That brought criticism from some quarters, people saying it was a lot of money when workers were being paid only ?200 compensation.
Bart Dalla Mura, Bernard Matthews' chief executive, said the ?7m campaign was designed to restore faith in the brand and improve sales.
?The first part of the campaign is the advertisements from the chairman and that is about drawing a line under this outbreak. We have taken soundings from our consumers, and they said they wanted to hear the reassurance from Mr Matthews himself.?
The second phase will include new packaging, a reduction in salt and fat content in many lines and the launch of several new products.
Mr Dalla Mura said: ?We had always planned a campaign for April and May to revitalise and refresh the brand.?
The full-page adverts, signed by Mr Matthews, refer to the famous television adverts of more than 10 years ago which featured the company chairman personally, and say:
?As a result of this scare, our products have gone through the most rigorous independent scientific tests available to confirm they are 100pc safe.
?That is why all leading supermarkets have continued to stock our products and you can continue to enjoy them.?
Mr Dalla Mura was unable to give reassurances about whether laid-off staff will get their jobs back,
or whether there will be more lay-offs.