Supermarkets must provide plastic bags in meat aisles to stop the spread of potentially deadly bugs, the chairman of the Food Standards Agency has said.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Heather Hancock revealed the FSA wants shoppers to be handed free disposable bags when buying raw chicken, with special reminders to use them at self-service checkouts.

As bacteria can lurk on the outside of packaging as well as on the inside, she said, an extra plastic bag layer is the "only way" shoppers can be sure they are not spreading bugs onto other food in their shopping baskets.