Tesco shares plans to improve chicken welfare standards

UK supermarket Tesco has announced plans to improve the welfare standards of its chickens, committing to allowing all of its fresh chicken to be grown with 20 percent more space than the industry standard by the first half of 2025.

The retail giant claims that these improvements in welfare for Tesco core ranges are set to provide customers with access to “affordable, higher welfare chicken”.

Commenting on the move, Natalie Smith, Head of Sustainable Agriculture & Fisheries at Tesco shared: “We know how much our customers care about animal welfare, and we’re committed to improving standards across our ranges wherever possible, while maintaining great value and quality for customers.

“That’s why over the course of the next year, all our core fresh chicken will be grown to higher welfare standards, with over 20 percent more space than the industry standard.”

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All of the fresh chicken in Tesco’s core ranges will be reared to a “high welfare standard”, according to the supermarket. This means that customers will be able to purchase chicken that has been raised with “more space to perch and move around”.

But how will this impact the price of the products? Well according to Tesco their chicken will remain at the “same great value”.

As well as allowing the chickens more space to roam, Tesco will also be implementing reduced stocking density which will reportedly allow them to have additional space to “express their natural behaviours”. As well as this, the birds will continue to have boosted access to environmental enrichment including pecking objects, straw bales, perches and natural light.

To carry out this move, the retailer has said that it will be investing in its existing supply base to support with the transition.

“This move reaffirms our commitment to British agriculture and is a significant step-up in welfare standards for the poultry industry in the UK. Thanks to this move, customers can continue to make better, more sustainable choices while still enjoying the same great value,” concluded Smith.