More than 10,000 people who work in the UK food supply chain will be exempt from Covid-19 isolation rules, the government as announced.
Supermarket depot workers and food manufacturers, regardless of vaccination status, will be exempt from quarantine rules amid concern about potential food shortages.
The government said workers could do daily Covid testing instead of having to isolate.
It comes as some meat processors saw up to 10 percent of their workforce having to self-isolate due to the 'pingdemic' crisis.
The staff absences were caused by factory employees being told to isolate by NHS Test and Trace, according to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA).
Elsewhere, retailer Iceland was forced to close stores due to staff shortages caused by people being told to self-isolate.
The supermarket chain said it had to temporarily close shops because 1,000 staff have been 'pinged' by the app.
Speaking to the media today (23 July), Defra Secretary George Eustice said the government made a special exception for food for 'very obvious reasons'.
He said the government had identified nearly 500 'key' sites, including about 170 supermarket depots and over two hundred manufacturers, such as dairy companies.
"We need to make sure that we maintain our food supply, we will never take risks with our food supply,” Mr Eustice told BBC Breakfast.
“We know that the most important thing is to ensure that those main arteries in our food supply chain keep working, that the lorries keep going from depots to get goods to store.
"And that the food manufacturers can continue to manufacture the goods to get it to the depots.
“When you get to store level, of course, yes, there will be some difficulties, they will have staff shortages. But it is easier to manage at that level.”
The government plans to relax self-isolation rules on 16 August, but the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) said on Monday that 'speed was of the essence' amid staff shortages.
CBI president Karan Bilimoria, said: “With restrictions being lifted and cases rapidly increasing, we urgently need a surefooted approach from government.
“Building and maintaining confidence is key to securing the economic recovery. Mask-wearing in enclosed spaces, especially transport, will help create confidence for both staff and customers, as will clarity around the future availability of free testing for employees.”
