Conducted among readers of Living Earth magazine on behalf of the Soil Association at the end of 2006, this survey shows that 63% of readers bought organic chicken meat; approximately 70% of organic chicken and 2/3 of all poultry came from supermarkets, while the rest were bought direct from farmers or independent retailers. Consumers expect both organic and “free range” chickens to have been raised according to certain animal welfare standards, which in practice are infrequently met by retailers.

Of 216 completed surveys, 63% bought organic chickens and 71% of those were Soil Association certified. Out of the 79 non-organic birds, 50 were labeled “free-range.” Over 90% buying both organic and free-range expected flock sizes of no more than 1,000 birds. Over 96% expected their free-range birds to have been able to range outside. 70% of organic chickens and about two-thirds of all birds came from supermarkets, and the rest were bought direct from the farmer or from independent retailers.

Consumers purchasing organic and “free-range” meat had similar expectations of animal welfare. Everyone who bought an organic chicken, and 96% of free-range consumers, expected their bird to have been able to go outside. And over 90% of organic and free-range consumers expected their chicken to have been reared on fresh grass, in a flock of no more than 1,000 birds. However, the retailers studied were unable to get information about flock size, etc. for either type of bird, and the information that was given was often incorrect.