Dunbia

At its most recent audit (Nov 2025), the Dunbia Llanybydder slaughterhouse could not show that it could spare animals “avoidable pain, distress or suffering” during killing. And nor could staff demonstrate appropriate levels of competency.²

Despite killing 4.5 million animals a year,³ the company has no publicly available animal welfare policy.

In 2025, Dawn Meats, Dunbia’s parent company, applied to build a 7km pipeline through which it would discharge slaughterhouse waste directly into the River Boyne. The council received 400 letters from the community opposing the plan, but nonetheless, in a highly dubious move, the council approved it. The decision was eventually overturned by an independent body that decides on appeals in Ireland⁴ but WTF is going on there, Meath County Council?

People living near an industrial site where Dunbia has a "meat factory" report terrible smells and stinging eyes. The authorities flagged Dunbia four times between 2019 and 2025 for breaching water and air emissions.⁵

Back in 2008, Dunbia was found labelling Brazilian beef as British, which left the trade press baffled as to how the company escaped prosecution.⁶ We are too.

Dunbia was also cautioned for labelling and selling mutton as lamb.⁷ We know there is an obvious joke. We saw it. We’re just not doing it.

In 2006, Dunbia was fined £20,000 for polluting the River Ribble after it spread effluent, including abattoir washing waters and blood, onto fields close to the watercourse.⁸

In 2017, Dunbia was fined for discharging a “pungent red effluent” from its slaughterhouse into a stream.⁹ I think we all know what that was.

In 2008, Dunbia’s slaughterhouses were found to be approving meat for human consumption which had been contaminated with faeces.¹⁰

In 2019, Dunbia was found to have endangered public health by failing to remove from the food chain “risk material” from the animals it was slaughtering. The company was fined more than £266,000.¹¹

In 2020, workers at Dunbia’s parent company Dawn Meats alleged that burgers that had been dropped on the floor were simply picked up again.¹²

Obviously, Dunbia runs a much tighter ship now. We’re joking. Of course, they’re not. At their most recent audits, workers at four of the eight Dunbia slaughterhouses failed to cut off visible contamination (aka faeces), even while an auditor was standing right there to see if they could do it.¹³ And all of those slaughterhouses were rated as “Good”.

Those same audits found a total of 87 hygiene and food safety breaches, with the word “contamination” cropping up a worrying 43 times.¹⁴

In 2010, Dunbia workers reported that they had their wages docked every time they went to the toilet.¹⁵ Presumably Dunbia just wanted them to wazz where they worked.

In 2018, a worker was left needing surgery after an accident at Dunbia’s Devon slaughterhouse. The company was fined almost £500,000 for Health and Safety breaches.¹⁶

In 2019, the company was blockaded by some of its own farmers who were angry at the low prices being paid to them.¹⁷

A survey of Dunbia workers found that happiness was low, sense of purpose was low, job satisfaction was low, and the work environment was more stressful than most.¹⁸ Great job, Dunbia.

Workers also reported a culture of bullying and described it as a “miserable working environment”. One said, “if I didn't need the money I really wouldn't be working there.” Another: “Terrible place to work. Avoid at all costs.” One, a slaughterman, described it as a “nightmare”. The most commonly used words were “worst” and “avoid”.¹⁹