ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

UK supermarket Asda has apologised to customers and taken "immediate action" to improve standards across its home shopping services after a whistleblower raised concerns about poor hygiene.

BBC One's Watchdog programme said it carried out an undercover investigation into the supermarket's delivery service following several complaints from the public about hygiene issues.

Tests of bacteria levels on a crate from 10 different deliveries, undertaken by a Government-accredited microbiology laboratory for the programme, found that three were dirty "equivalent to dirt levels of a kitchen floor" and two were "extremely dirty, which equates to the dirt levels of a kitchen bin".

One whistleblower told the programme that he wore gloves at work because of his concerns about catching something from the dirt, and a second sent photos of mould and squashed fruit on the crates, adding that the crates are used to deliver food to nurseries and nursing homes.

One customer showed the programme maggots she found in a cat food box from one Asda delivery.
In a response to Watchdog, Asda said it had fallen short of the standards expected by customers.

The grocer said it had taken action including the deep cleaning of every home shopping van, re-briefings for every Asda employee on cleaning and food safety rules and the introduction of deep cleaning for all delivery crates in all stores.