Today we launch our latest European ChickenTrack report measuring food businesses’ progress in meeting the higher welfare requirements of the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC).

Driving meaningful change for millions of chickens

ChickenTrack aims to drive compliance, encourage transparency and support the industry-wide transition to higher welfare chicken by holding companies accountable for their BCC commitments.

The BCC is a science-based framework designed to improve the lives of millions of broiler chickens, every year. It sets clear, measurable criteria which include:

• Providing the chickens with more space – reducing overcrowding
• Enrichment and natural light – encouraging natural behaviours
• Breed change – recognising the benefits of slower-growing chickens
• More humane stunning methods – ensuring a better end-of-life

To date, an impressive 380 companies across Europe have signed up to the BCC. ChickenTrack 2024 evaluates the progress of the 93 most influential, across eight European countries. These include retailers, meal kit providers, hospitality companies, restaurants and more.

Celebrating success

Eleven companies are reporting progress for the first time in 2024, including Eataly in Italy, which has made dramatic improvements in space provision, breed, and stunning methods for their chickens.

In the UK, Premier Foods plc and British bakery favourite Greggs, have demonstrated strong year-on-year progress across most criteria.

And four major companies are completely new to ChickenTrack this year: Big Mamma Group, Les 3 Brasseurs, Taiko Foods and Yo! Sushi. By reporting on their progress, they’ve taken a crucial first step toward improving chicken welfare in their supply chains.

A clear wake-up call

Meanwhile, a significant number of companies are falling behind, reporting less than 20% transition on key BCC criteria. This includes 30 companies for space, 35 for slower growing breeds, 17 for natural light, 20 for enrichment, and 10 for stunning. 29 of the most influential food businesses tracked have yet to share any updates.

ChickenTrack 2024 exposes this lack of progress as a clear wake-up call, urging companies to take their commitments seriously.

Making higher welfare the norm

Dr. Tracey Jones, our Global Director of Food Business, said: 

“Chickens are sentient beings who deserve a good quality of life. The Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) sets out clear steps to improve their welfare, and ChickenTrack plays a crucial role in monitoring company progress.

To make higher-welfare chicken the norm, we urge companies to adopt the BCC and invest in meaningful change. This means robust action plans and transparent progress reporting. Only then, will we achieve the full impact for chickens.”