Corned beef in slavery storm

BRAZILIAN corned beef is being pulled from supermarket shelves amid claims that farmers are using slave labour.

Waitrose is removing packets of its own label sliced corned beef while it investigates. The company at the centre of the alert, JBS, also supplies Lidl and the Co-op, which have launched inquiries.

It is also a supplier to Sainsbury’s and Princes, however both firms insist their businesses are conducted in line with ethical and global standards. The NHS has also launched a probe.

JBS paid £2million for cattle reared on a farm where prosecutors claim workers were forced to live in degrading conditions with no shelter and no toilets or drinking water. The firm say they stopped using the farm last year.