Mitchells & Butlers

M&B has an antibiotics policy which is publicly available on its website as part of their Good Food Responsibility approach as well as specific welfare statements that cover antibiotics use for various species. Good Food Responsibility approach is available here

Although M&B's public policy does not call out specific species, in their response, the company confirmed that their policy currently only covers livestock (chicken, beef, dairy, turkey, lamb, laying hens, ducks and pigs). They are working to extend their policy to include all fish and seafood purchases.

Their policy states it covers all purchased livestock, and M&B has confirmed that their policy covers all relevant sourcing markets and operations.

In their response to FAIRR the company states that "M&B policy prohibits the prophylactic use of antibiotics and recognises that the classes of antibiotics deemed by WHO to be most critically important to human health should only be used therapeutically and where it is the sole option to prevent a severe welfare crisis, as assessed and administered by a veterinary surgeon". We have confirmed with M&B that their policy currently covers only critically important antibiotics to human medicine.

The company is not looking to set any targets. In their response the company states that "setting targets is an area that we are reluctant to move to at the moment, as rather than focus on a number we believe that animals should receive appropriate antibiotics when therapeutically required and as recommended by vets".

In 2018, the company published a range of animal welfare key performance indicators (KPIs) used to monitor progress and supplier compliance for poultry (chicken, duck, turkey) and pork. Two of the KPIs explicitly address antibiotics usage: i). the percentage of animals where there is no prophylactic use of antibiotics critical to human health and ii). the total antibiotics use measure as mg/ population correction unit (PCU) and levels reported for the previous 12 months. The company stated that it will continue this reporting practice and will expand the categories covered. Work is currently underway to adopt this measure for red meat. • For pork, the maximum usage is stated at 50mg/ PCU and according to their latest report, suppliers from the Netherlands and Germany are using above the stated threshold. However, the company does not provide a rationale for why usage in both these countries is above the stated maximum threshold, and what actions are being taken to address this. •  For ducks, the maximum is 10mg/ PCU and all suppliers are in compliance. • For turkey, the maximum is 50mg/ PCU and all suppliers are in compliance. •  For chicken, the max usage is 25mg/ PCU and all suppliers are in compliance.

M&B has stated that their "sourcing policy forms part of the Mitchells & Butlers Technical Guide for Food Suppliers. ALL food suppliers MUST adhere to the Technical Guide". Based on this statement, we assume the company carries out internal audits only to monitor supplier compliance across markets.

M&B responded providing clear insightful answers to all questions. The company declined a meeting with the investor coalition. Their response is available here.