Filthy conditions
Forced to lie in the continuous build up of excrement from thousands of birds, the wet litter causes skin burns and lesions and acts as a reservoir of disease.
A Lidl change to make a big difference for chickens
Undercover footage secured by the Open Wing Alliance has revealed shocking conditions and systematic suffering of chickens in Lidl’s supply chain. The abnormally fast-growing chicken breeds used by Lidl suppliers are condemned to a life of suffering, simply because of their DNA. These issues are compounded by barren sheds and high stocking densities.
The solution is simple - sign up to the Better Chicken Commitment.
What investigators found
- Slide 1 of 3, Filthy conditions
- Slide 2 of 3, Painful injuries
- Slide 3 of 3, Dead and dying chickens
Our message to you
Lidl GB's policy on animal welfare endorses the Five Freedoms. In spite of this, Lidl fails to meet any one of these freedoms for the vast majority of chickens in your supply chain. Your failure to animals is a failure to your customers. As you continue to profit from fast-growing, intensively reared chickens, you have broken your promise to consumers about the quality of your products.
Alongside these severe health issues, chickens are condemned to live in harmfully high stocking densities with poor litter and air quality, restricted in their ability to carry out their natural behaviours and even access to food and water. Not only is this a threat to chicken health and welfare but to human health as well. These faster growing birds require a huge increase in antibiotics compared to slower growing breeds.
Hundreds of companies globally have signed the Better Chicken Commitment and pledged to address these major welfare issues.