It is deeply disappointing to see 18 hospitality brands, including Burger King, Nando’s, The Big Table, The Restaurant Group and KFC, step back from their Better Chicken Commitments (BCC), at a time when we are seeing progress and it’s being fully supported by consumers when given the choice to buy higher welfare chicken.

BCC-compliant chicken is available, and volumes will increase further as retailers like M&S expands its BCC fresh chicken supply. The food service sector should be capitalising on this rather than stepping back from the BCC.

The companies have cited breed transition as the main reason for their withdrawal from the BCC. However, without breed change the birds are unable to benefit fully from any other welfare improvements, such as reduced stocking density and provision of natural light, as rapid growth rates continue to drive serious health and welfare problems.

Claims that adopting higher welfare breeds compromises food security or environmental outcomes are limited as there are a broader range of socio-economic and environmental benefits to breed change that should be considered.

In its recent Animal Welfare Strategy, the UK Government stated it would support voluntary efforts to move away from the use of fast-growing chicken breeds, and in January, Norway committed to ending the use of fast‑growing broiler breeds. The food service sector has already demonstrated meaningful progress on several other BCC criteria and should be pushing ahead, as policy becomes more supportive of this move.

We have offered timeline extensions to support companies with their BCC implementation, as we recognise the genuine operational challenges involved. But ultimately, companies must continue advancing their commitments if they are serious about broiler welfare. Failing to address breed means failing the animals—it is not ethical to breed chickens in a way that makes them suffer. We urge companies to hang in there and do what’s right for animal welfare and for their customers.

Statement on Food Service Companies Dropping Better Chicken Commitment