Cordelia Britton
Despite its family friendly advertising, McDonald’s has repeatedly ignored messages from children about its treatment of chickens.
From its Happy Meals to its TV adverts, McDonald’s has always had a strong focus on children. But as the younger generation grows more aware of where their food comes from, it seems like McDonald’s may be losing touch.
Whilst fast food companies like KFC and Pizza Hut have recently signed up to the Better Chicken Commitment, promising to improve the welfare standards of their chickens, McDonald’s is continuing to stand by its current production standards. These standards have led to campaigns from multiple animal protection organisations including the RSPCA.
Chickens produced at the farms that supply McDonald’s are suffering. Bred to grow too fast, too quickly, their legs often don’t support their own body weight and they cannot walk. The floors of the barns can be covered in faeces which causes ammonia burns on the chickens’ legs and breast. With diseases more prevalent in these conditions, the chickens can often suffer from health issues that can be painful and distressing, as well as affecting the meat produced.
But there is another way. By signing up to the Better Chicken Commitment, McDonald’s could support the change to slower growing, healthier breeds of chicken and better living conditions. McDonald’s could lead its suppliers to do the right thing.
In December, we asked for help from a group of talented kids who performed a play about McDonald’s. In the play, the kids ask McDonald’s to do the right thing for chickens. Despite inviting McDonald’s executives to watch the play, no one responded, not even to send an apology.
One of the kids, 11-year-old Emily, even went to McDonald’s UK headquarters. She had some questions for the executives and wanted to give them a card signed by all the kids with a plea to McDonald’s to help chickens. After an hour waiting in McDonalds lobby, Emily was given a letter with no signature and no headed paper. It had a standard response and said they would respond to her concerns via email. When the email came, it was just the same response as the letter given to her at McDonald’s HQ!
In January, Emily sent a follow-up letter.
Letter written to McDonald's by Emily, age 11
It's two months later and Emily has still had no response. It seems that McDonald’s care for children is not quite as advertised.
