Claire Williams
UK’s fourth largest supermarket makes welfare move leaving Asda and Iceland as only major retailers yet to move.
Aldi has become the latest UK supermarket to announce it will give chickens in its supply chain 20% more space than the industry standard.
This announcement, which will affect an estimated 90 million chickens, means that five out of the big six supermarkets in the UK have already reduced or committed to reducing stocking density by 2025. Falling behind is Asda, the only one not to make this move.
We’ve been in dialogue with Aldi for several years asking them to commit to the Better Chicken Commitment, a set of welfare criteria that includes more space, stopping the use of fast-growing breeds of chicken, and giving natural light and enrichment.
We celebrate Aldi’s commitment to giving their chickens more space. This will make their hellish lives a little easier, reducing crowding and allowing more room to carry out essential natural behaviours.
However, more space alone is not enough to avoid the very worst forms of suffering for chickens: ‘Frankenchickens’ who are bred to grow so fast, their bodies simply can't keep up. These birds often endure lameness, deformities, and early deaths. They live a short life filled with suffering.
With supermarkets responsible for approximately 65% of the UK’s meat chicken flock, they have huge power to raise the bar for chicken welfare.
They need to stop making excuses. Like Co-op, which claims it is a leader in chicken welfare while repeatedly refusing to commit to the BCC in full, and whose policies now essentially match the majority of other supermarkets.
These commitments to provide more space show the tide is turning on factory farming. It’s now time for supermarkets to unlock the progress that the UK public wants to see, and turn their backs on Frankenchicken cruelty for good. Join us to make this a reality.
