Chickens raised for their meat live short and painful lives. Sometimes referred to as ‘Frankenchickens,’ the chicken industry has selectively bred these birds to grow as fast as possible. This means they will have reached their adult size and can be sent to slaughter at just 35 days old. By that time, many will already be suffering from multiple health issues. The rapid growth and their large size place enormous strain on their heart and joints. Crammed into huge, ammonia-filled sheds, the chickens experience high rates of organ failure, lameness, and disease. Millions die before they even reach the slaughterhouse.

The 2024 State of the Chicken Industry Report released by The Humane League U.K. highlights that these fast-growing, welfare-compromised breeds still constitute around 90% of chickens raised for meat in the United Kingdom. The welfare consequences of this are significant. The report reviewed the findings of several recent studies on chicken welfare, which showed that even when living conditions and management practices are improved, the birds struggle to display natural behaviors — and their overall welfare remains impaired when compared to slower-growing breeds. One study found that fast-growing breeds have twice the on-farm death rate of other chickens. Another found that farms raising these birds used more than seven times more antibiotics to maintain the health of their flocks. These studies demonstrate that if the chicken industry is serious about improving the welfare of birds, a shift to slower-growing breeds is necessary.

This is an arena where consumers have more power than might be appreciated. The Humane League’s report found that the use of fast-growing ‘Frankenchickens’ is primarily sustained and supported by supermarkets. Polling also revealed that almost 75% of consumers say animal welfare is an important factor influencing where they shop. However, there is a critical disconnect: confusing and misleading labeling is preventing the public from influencing the market and thus practices in the sector.

Across the chicken industry, a number of different logos exist which claim to promote higher welfare standards. The detail of what each requires in practice is highly variable. While some of the logos indicate use of slower-growing breeds, many do not. A survey exploring public knowledge of five logos used on chicken products in U.K. supermarkets found that 74% of people did not understand any of the labels. Fewer than 1% were able to correctly identify the standards associated with each. The report also notes that there remains a widespread lack of public knowledge and understanding of the industry’s use of such fast-growing ‘Frankenchickens.’ This shows that much more public education and advocacy work is needed in this area to support change.

The report is also linked to a global initiative known as the ‘Better Chicken Commitment’ (BCC). The BCC was launched in 2017 with the objective of moving the chicken industry away from the use of fast-growing breeds, reducing stocking densities to provide birds more space, as well as access to fresh air, straw, perches, and other enrichment. Numerous companies, suppliers, and supermarkets have now signed on to the BCC and the policies it sets. In order to document improvements and hold companies to account, The Humane League U.K. report tracked and reported on progress made under the BCC.

Around one-quarter of the U.K. chicken supply and 384 companies across Europe have signed up to the initiative. Of these, 124 companies are now reporting progress, but to date, only 6 have fulfilled their commitments under it. The report names (and shames) the companies, including supermarkets and restaurant chains, that are — or are not — making progress. The most common reasons companies did not commit to reform was that decreasing stocking densities would take up too much space and that moving to slow-growing chickens would be too costly. Factoring in the increased costs, even adopting the highest estimate, the report assessed that shifting from fast- to slow-growing breeds would result in the average British consumer paying just 94 pence extra per week — a figure roughly equivalent to U.S. $1.24.

In April 2024, the U.K. Government opened a round of public consultation on fairer food labeling. The Humane League U.K. has strongly argued for compulsory labeling of animal welfare standards on packaging, including information on production methods. They have also initiated legal action, arguing that the use of fast-growing breeds is unlawful under England’s Welfare of Farmed Chickens Regulations 2007. Although the legal action failed in the High Court, leave has been granted for an appeal. The case is due to be heard in the Court of Appeal in October 2024, so advocates should continue to monitor this for further developments and adjust their campaigns accordingly.