Food and drink firms urged to reduce staffing to bare minimum

Food and drink companies have been asked to reduce staffing levels to the bare minimum during the coronavirus pandemic.

The plea comes from a group of farming, fishing and food and drink organisations, including Scotland Food & Drink, NFU Scotland, the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, Seafood Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Association, and Scottish Bakers.

In a joint statement, the organisations asked firms to cut staffing levels to the lowest possible number to maintain the production of essential goods.

It asked businesses not to contact their local authority to make the case for key worker designation allowing workers’ children to attend school or nursery, unless it is a measure of last resort.

Instead, all other measures must be explored first including shift changes, halting some production lines and finding alternative childcare arrangements.

The organisations said they were asking the Scottish Government to provide greater clarity to local authorities on who should be defined as key workers to support the supply of food across the country.