Four of the UK’s largest supermarket chains, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons, have suspended supplies from a Lincolnshire pig farm following the release of undercover footage alleging serious animal welfare violations.

The footage, captured by the Animal Justice Project, showed practices at Northmoor Farm—including alleged use of banned slaughter methods such as blunt force trauma on piglets and physical abuse of sows. Cranswick, one of the UK’s leading pig meat producers, operates the farm.

The farm reportedly houses approximately 6,000 pigs. According to AJP, the video evidence documents breaches of UK regulations on animal welfare during the killing. A formal complaint has been submitted to Trading Standards.

The method known as blunt force trauma was officially banned in 2022 for use on piglets under 10kg, following recommendations from the UK’s Animal Welfare Committee and the EU’s Reference Centre for Animal Welfare, both of which deemed it inhumane and unnecessary given the availability of alternatives like captive bolt guns.

Cranswick responded by suspending all facility staff and halting pig supplies from the farm while an internal investigation was underway. All four supermarket chains confirmed that supply suspensions will remain in place pending the outcome of that investigation.

This development may have implications across the retail meat supply chain, particularly regarding ethical sourcing standards and supplier compliance monitoring. Retailers, food service buyers, and procurement managers may face increased scrutiny over supply chain transparency and animal welfare protocols.

The enthusiasm of East Midlands entrepreneurs appears not to have been dampened by current economic uncertainty, as the number of new businesses in the region has continued to rise. This is according to the Midlands branch of national insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 and is based on a monthly analysis of regional start-up data from business intelligence provider Creditsafe. The figures indicate that there were 2,524 businesses set up in the East Midlands in April, which is a substantial rise of almost a half (42.2%) compared to the end of last year. The data coincides with latest Insolvency Service figures for England and Wales showing a 2% decrease in corporate insolvencies for March compared to the previous month, with numbers falling from 2,032 to 1,992. R3 Midlands chair Stephen Rome, a partner at local law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper, said: “It’s good to see some positive figures beginning to emerge for our region, but it is important to consider this data in the context of an economy buffeted by a multitude of national and global issues. “April’s rises in the National Minimum Wage and Employers National Insurance, as well as new US tariffs, are key considerations for local businesses, as are the local sector forecasts. “Construction output has been affected by mixed weather since January, while retail has seen a slowdown in spending as a result of this year’s late Easter. Conversely, hospitality income has risen in recent months, driven in part by the warmer weather and an increase in consumer willingness to spend. “All of this indicates that if entrepreneurs can plan ahead carefully and realistically, then there are definite opportunities for success. If problems arise, however, then it is important to act swiftly. “All too often, it is not until a company is on the brink of insolvency that its owners seek financial advice. Yet the fact is that the sooner a business seeks professional help, the more positive its outlook can be.”

The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global, signalled the sharpest fall in permanent placements since the start of 2025 during April. Temp billings fell for a third consecutive month, and at the quickest pace in just over a year. Demand for both permanent and temporary staff continued to fall at the start of the second quarter, and at quicker rates than those seen in March. Recruiters suggested that fewer vacancies and redundancies contributed to a further uplift in candidate availability, as indicated by sustained increases in both permanent and temporary staff supply. On the pay front, permanent salary inflation remained strong, albeit well below the series average. Temp pay meanwhile increased at the sharpest rate since last October, boosted by stronger than average increases in the national minimum and living wage rates. The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: Midlands is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to around 100 recruitment and employment consultancies in the Midlands. Sharpest fall in permanent placements for three months April data signalled a further decline in the number of permanent placements made by recruitment agencies in the Midlands. Permanent staff appointments were reportedly down due to a lower number of vacancies and weaker demand for staff. The pace of contraction was sharp and the most pronounced since January. Across all four monitored English areas, the Midlands saw the second-fastest drop in permanent placements, behind the South of England. Temp billings across the Midlands decreased for the third consecutive month at the start of the second quarter. Panellists generally attributed the latest fall to a lack of demand for temporary staff amid an increase in the national minimum wage and higher National Insurance contributions. Moreover, the rate of decline was the strongest since March 2024. The fall in temp billings in the Midlands was softer than that seen at the UK level, however. Permanent vacancies in the Midlands decreased for the eleventh consecutive month in April. Of the four monitored English regions, the Midlands saw the second-softest reduction in demand for permanent staff (behind London), despite the rate of decline strengthening from that seen in March. Temporary vacancies in the Midlands meanwhile fell for the eighth month in a row in April. Though solid, the rate of reduction was the second-slowest of the four monitored English regions (after the North of England). Stronger rise in permanent staff availability The supply of permanent staff rose again in April, thereby extending the current sequence of increasing candidate numbers to 25 months. Moreover, the pace of growth accelerated from March and was the steepest in 2025 to date. Of the four monitored English regions, only the North of England recorded a steeper rate of increase. Anecdotal evidence suggested that redundancies had boosted candidate supply. Temporary candidate availability in the Midlands increased in April, taking the current period of expansion to two years. The rate of growth eased slightly from March but remained marked overall. Panellists stated that the supply of temp staff had risen due to company layoffs and fewer job opportunities. Nevertheless, the rate of expansion was the softest of the four monitored English regions. Permanent starters’ salaries rise solidly Permanent starting salaries in the Midlands increased again in April, thereby extending the current sequence of inflation that began in March 2021. Though solid, the rate of pay growth softened slightly from the previous survey period, and remained well below the average seen over this period. The rise in salaries for new permanent joiners was linked by recruiters to efforts to attract suitably skilled candidates, which were often in short supply. The pace of salary inflation in the Midlands exceeded the UK average for the fourth month in a row. Recruitment consultancies based in the Midlands registered an increase in temp pay rates for the fifth time in as many months during April. The pace of wage inflation was solid, reaching the highest since last October. Where temp pay rose, recruiters frequently attributed this to stronger than average increases in the national minimum and living wage rates. Commenting on the latest survey results, Kate Holt, people consulting partner at KPMG in the Midlands, said: “April brought fresh challenges to the Midlands’ labour market, with permanent placements falling at the fastest pace since January and temporary billings also declining sharply. With vacancy numbers continuing to drop, employers across the region remain cautious, especially given the higher costs associated with employment that are now in force. “Interestingly, candidate availability is on the rise once again, with increased redundancies and fewer job openings expanding the talent pool across both permanent and temporary markets. While salary inflation for permanent starters remains steady – and above the UK average – it’s temp pay that has seen the sharpest growth, spurred on by minimum wage uplifts. This combination of subdued demand and growing supply gives businesses hiring power, particularly for those looking to secure skilled talent in a cost-effective manner.”

A coalition of 15 Midlands university partners has launched a new initiative that is set to transform how research and innovation are translated into real-world impact across the region.

The Midlands Rail Hub project would deliver 20 million extra seats a year for businesses, residents and commuters. The Midlands Rail Hub proposes building two ‘chords’ and over 10 further engineering interventions throughout the region to deliver a massive step change in rail transport in the Midlands. This will see up to 300 extra trains traveling into or out of Birmingham every single day and will help create a ‘turn up and go’ service on the busy Cross City line. Birmingham Moor Street will see 14.2 million extra seats and Birmingham New Street will gain an extra 5.4 million seats. The Cross City line will see two extra trains, in each direction, per hour, which will create 5.4 million new seats each year. Redditch, Alvechurch and Barnt Green will see one extra train, in each direction, per hour and 2.7 million new seats for passengers, whilst Bromsgrove will see 4.7 million new seats. Lichfield will gain 5.4 million seats. Nottingham, Hereford, Coleshill Parkway, Worcester, Hinckley, South Wigston, Droitwich Spa and Worcestershire Parkway will see at least 2 million new seats. Derby will see 4.1 million new seats. Andy Clark, head of rail at Midlands Connect, said: “The benefits of the Midlands Rail Hub will be felt by millions of people across the Midlands and beyond. “Being able to run faster, more frequent services and deliver 20 million extra seats is the definition of a win-win project. The Midlands Rail Hub is our flagship project at Midlands Connect, and we are working to deliver massive benefits to all corners of the Midlands.” The Midlands Rail Hub project is co-sponsored by Midlands Connect, the Department for Transport and West Midlands Rail Executive.