On 23 June 2020, German authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia announced the reintroduction of lockdown measures following a COVID-19 outbreak at Germany's largest meat-packing plant. More than 1,500 Tönnies employees tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, sparking fresh criticism over working and living conditions of the predominantly migrant workforce from Romania and Bulgaria.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on poor conditions in slaughterhouses and in May, the cabinet proposed new rules to better protect workers (further information available here). The articles below also include comments from Tönnies. For information in German see here.