Waitrose categorises its chicken products into five distinct tiers, differentiating between various farming methods such as standard indoor, more space indoor, BCC-compliant, free range, and organic, empowering customers to make informed choices.

Producers must exceed certain thresholds for the animal welfare indicators, or they risk dropping down a level.

The new scheme reinforces Waitrose's leading and long-standing dedication to animal welfare and transparency, by providing clear and accessible information to its customers.

A mandatory approach is important

For years, Compassion has championed honest labelling and worked with Waitrose on its Good Life project to integrate a comprehensive set of species-specific welfare indicators across its supply chain. These indicators, which ensure both physical and behavioural welfare of animals, have formed the foundation of its newly launched welfare labelling scheme.

While Waitrose has taken this bold step, both the retailer and Compassion are calling on Defra to progress work on mandatory method of production labelling. Without widespread transparency, welfare standards may be neglected, and customers who are eager to support higher welfare could be disadvantaged or misled.

Establishing a clear and consistent benchmark across the industry is essential, and farmers too should be fairly recognised and rewarded for their higher welfare standards.

Dr Tracey Jones, Global Director of Food Business, Compassion in World Farming, concludes: “It's fantastic to see Waitrose’s new welfare label hitting the shelves, offering a more comprehensive picture of animal well-being in its supply chain. With its fresh chicken range now meeting level B or above, thanks to its adoption of the Better Chicken Commitment, Waitrose is leading the way in transparency and responsible sourcing.

"This initiative is truly inspiring and, if adopted more widely, would eliminate the confusion caused by varying standards and labels among retailers.

“While we call on Defra to introduce mandatory method of production labelling, we commend Waitrose for its leadership in this area and for raising the bar for chicken welfare across all its own-brand fresh, frozen, processed and ingredient chicken by the end of August, ahead of target.”

Read more about the Better Chicken Commitment

Waitrose Labels Better Chicken