Companies commit to higher welfare chicken
Over 100 companies have signed up to the European Chicken Commitment (ECC), which requires companies to switch to a more robust and active breed of chicken, and to provide them with more space to live and a stimulating environment.
Carrefour France is the latest to sign up to the commitment, joining other key brands such as M&S, Waitrose, KFC, Casual Dining Group, Unilever, Compass Group, Elior and Danone. This has been in response to nearly 30 NGOs across Europe asking the food industry to significantly improve broiler welfare by 2026.
Compassion’s Director of Food Business, Dr Tracey Jones, said: “Momentum is building, and we are on the cusp of a significant change for broiler chickens. Over 40 companies in the UK have signed up to the ECC so far, and we know many more are interested in assessing how they can adopt the same practices across their businesses.
“It’s no small task meeting the requirements of the ECC, and it’s going to take considerable collective action from all stakeholders in the supply chain including suppliers, retailers, manufacturers and food service companies, as well as the assurance schemes, industry bodies and ultimately the consumer, to achieve market success.
“The industry is starting to work on this and it may take time to develop an agreed, joined up approach. However, it is the right thing to do for animal welfare and for those consumers who expect higher welfare standards and want to make an informed choice.”
Image source: GettyImages/ShockMonkey
