Consumers demand higher welfare for chickens

Photos

Sales of RSPCA Freedom Food chicken by supermarket (volume)

see larger image

uploaded by bethgranter

• 

  uploaded by bethgranter | add comment

• 

  uploaded by bethgranter | add comment

• 

  uploaded by bethgranter | add comment

More than two years after chicken welfare first hit the headlines with high profile campaigns by Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, new research reveals that people are choosing to buy more higher-welfare chicken than ever before whilst lower-welfare ‘standard’ chicken is taking a downturn.

Research carried out by Kantar Worldpanel revealed growth and spend on Freedom Food indoor-reared chicken is far outstripping ‘standard’, with a staggering 55.2 million pound increase in consumer spending since March 2009.  

This compares to a drop of more than 26 million pounds for ‘standard’ chicken - proof that animal welfare is still on the shopping list of even the most budget-conscious consumers. 

Consumers made a difference by choosing higher welfare chicken. But what would you do if you lost that choice? The RSPCA are running a poll to find out what we think, which can be taken on their site here.

[This is posted here with permission from, and on behalf of, the RSPCA]