UK retailers are facing pressure for better animal welfare practices in the poultry sector

Charity Compassion in global agriculture Published the schedule SpotlightA comparison of the policies of major UK retailers of fresh indoor poultry against criteria Best chicken guaranteed (BCC) The BCC establishes standards to improve the welfare of broiler chickens, such as the use of slow-growing breeds, low stocking densities, environmental enrichment and more humane slaughter methods.

Despite recent pledges by many British supermarkets to reduce stocking density to 30kg/m², only M&S and Waitrose have formally signed up to the BCC. M&S is already 100% BCC compliant, while Waitrose will start its transition in January 2025, with full compliance expected in 2026.

The report also highlights that retailers such as Lidl, Tesco and Sainsbury’s only offer a limited number of BCC-compliant products. Also, some supermarkets, such as Amazon Fresh and Iceland, do not yet have clear general policies regarding broiler welfare standards.

Fast growing species still dominate

One of the central requirements of the BCC is the adoption of slow-growing breeds known to have better welfare outcomes. However, 90% of the 1.15 billion chickens reared in the UK in 2020 are still fast-growing breeds, which compromises the advantages of measures such as greater space and environmental enrichment, as these birds often face difficulties in movement due to rapid body growth. .

Transparency and additional measures are required

The Spotlight More than half of retailers already follow natural lighting policies and humane slaughter methods, but more needs to be done to achieve high welfare standards. Dr. Tracey Jones, Global Director Food business from Compassion in global agricultureEmphasizes that retailers must sign the PCC and follow all its criteria to truly guarantee the welfare of chickens and transparency in public policy.

According to Jones, while recent developments such as reducing stocking density are positive, the full impact will only be felt if there is significant change to slow-growing species.

Source and translation: Chicken World