We're delighted to announce that as of today (27 August), Waitrose has become the first UK retailer to fully meet the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) across all own-brand chicken categories, setting a new benchmark for animal welfare in the industry.

Following its milestone in April – achieving full BCC compliance across all fresh chicken – every Waitrose own-brand chicken product—including fresh, frozen, processed, and ingredient—now meets or exceeds the BCC’s higher welfare criteria.

This achievement comes well ahead of the 2026 deadline, reinforcing Waitrose’s leadership in ethical sourcing. Having worked with Waitrose on its sign-up to the BCC in 2019, and having supported them to implement the commitment, it is wonderful to see.

What this means for shoppers

Customers can now shop with confidence, knowing that all Waitrose own-brand chicken is:

Sourced from slower-growing breeds
Raised with more space, enrichment, and natural light
Processed using more humane slaughter methods

This commitment ensures a significantly improved quality of life for chickens and reflects growing consumer demand for transparency and compassion in food production.

New welfare label empowers ethical choices

Supporting the rollout is Waitrose’s new animal welfare labelling system—the first of its kind in UK supermarkets. The five-tier visual system gives shoppers clear insight into how their food was produced, rating chicken products based on farming methods and welfare standards.

This innovation empowers customers to make informed choices that reflect their values, while driving industry-wide progress.

Charlotte Di Cello, Chief Commercial Officer at Waitrose, said:

We’re proud to be the only UK grocer to offer BCC welfare standards as a minimum across all our Waitrose branded chicken products - including fresh, frozen and ingredient chicken. Our customers can be assured that Waitrose continues to be number one for animal welfare.

We’re not stopping there. We’re calling on the UK Government to make animal welfare labelling mandatory across all retailers so that all shoppers, regardless of where they buy their food, can make more conscious choices that align with their values.

Our Global Director of Food Business, Dr Tracey Jones commented:

We’re absolutely delighted that all own-brand chicken sold in Waitrose — including that used as an ingredient — now meets or exceeds the Better Chicken Commitment criteria. This milestone is proof that meaningful change is possible when you hold firm on your values. Congratulations to everyone involved in achieving full compliance ahead of the 2026 deadline — a truly outstanding achievement!

Waitrose achieves 100% Better Chicken Commitment