Valerie Elliott, Consumer Editor
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Supermarkets are bracing themselves for a slump in chicken sales this weekend after what the industry calls “trial by TV”.
The celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall have used their latest shows to expose sharp differences in the treatment of standard and free-range chickens.
Sales of standard birds - those reared indoors – appeared to be holding up yesterday but the panic from retailers was reflected in the number of advertisements promising a commitment to the highest standards.
It is easy to understand why stores and the poultry industry are nervous. Retail chicken sales are worth £3.5 billion a year.
Sainsbury’s has announced that it intends to phase out standard chicken and replace it with birds produced to the RSPCA’s Freedom Food rules by 2010. Poultry sold under the Freedom Food label is inspected by the society. Farmers use slow-growing chicken breeds and a maximum of 15 birds per square metre are allowed, compared with the 18 or 19 birds in standard production. EU regulations allow for as many as 21 birds a square metre.
The extra space gives birds room to flap their wings and display other natural behaviour. Straw bales are put in sheds so birds can perch and peck.
Current rules insist on bright light indoors during the day and at least six hours of darkness at night. By 2010, however, the RSPCA intends to ensure that all Freedom Food birds have access to natural light. Sainsbury’s hopes that by the end of this year 18 per cent of its fresh chicken will meet the improved standards.
Morrisons is keen to expand its current range of Freedom Food poultry. Marks & Spencer and Waitrose have already pioneered these kinder welfare conditions for their fresh birds.
Poultry farmers are planning a fight-back and a crisis meeting of key figures in the industry will take place on Tuesday at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) headquarters. An advertising company has also been asked for advice on how to win over shoppers in a new promotional campaign. Some farmers believe the answer is to invite consumers to see for themselves the conditions of birds. One poultry farmer said: “We have nothing to hide and we must act quickly to get rid of all these myths.”
Many producers are keen to improve conditions but say they need higher prices for their birds. It costs £60,000 to convert a 100,000-bird unit to Freedom Food standards.
Charles Bourns, chairman of the NFU poultry board, urged supermarkets to provide the investment for farmers to adapt their production methods. “Because of the high feed prices we are not even making 3p a chicken at the moment and a lot of farmers are losing money,” he added.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insists that it is not in the business of telling consumers what they should eat, but a spokeswoman said: “We don’t see anything inherently cruel with indoor chicken production.” She said that standards were revised all the time and the department had commissioned further research on the welfare of birds.
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If you can't afford free range chicken, make more use of fresh fruit and vegetables. I'm on a tight budget and don't eat any meat or fish at all. I eat very well. If you want a label, I'm a vegetarian.
Debbie, Guidlford,
Well done Jamie and Hugh. I always buy free range eggs so will now take it further and buy only free range chicken after seeing the programe. I have to agree with Nick and Sue Howes re the government banning hunting but allowing this sort of thing to exist. Just does not make sense.
Sally F, Towcester, Northants.
To Ren, stoke on Trent,
I think you will find they make a profit of 3p per chicken, not that they only get 3p a chicken.
N Bryant, Horsham, West Sussex
This was a good program and a worthy cause but I can't help thinking there was a fair amount of sensationalim behind it. I think the economics of how the industry works and how this will effect those on lower incomes should have been looked at more.
Jonathan, London,
It is revolting the way we treat food animals in this country. Fair play and well done to Hugh FW and Jamie Oliver for trying to do something about it, starting with the worst treated...
Jay Wood, Petersfield, Hants
Farmers are being caught up in supermakets price wars - It's not their fault - the supermarkets have kept reducing their prices and the farmer has paid the ultimate price. They get 3p per chicken. So the rest goes into the supermarkets big fat pocket. And as for supermarkets saying they are reacting to consumer requirement....come on! We didn't need this much chicken in our diets 30 years ago. The truth is that the supermarkets want to make as much money as possible out of us - which is fair enough, they are after all in business to make a profit. However, I think making a profit from a living breathing animal and knowing it has suffered is morally wrong and unacceptable. It is now time to change.
Ren, Stoke On Trent,
This program opened my eyes to the way these birds are treated..... this is 2008 afterall. I have gone to free range eggs, i dont eat alot of chicken anyway but from now i on i will go out of my way to buy free range, wake up britain and lets have respect for these animals,
ellie , spalding, lincolnshire
I will never eat chicken that isnt free range or organic again after seeing these programs,i feel for the farmers and understand the pressure they must be under getting 3p a bird.
just shows you how much the supermarkets make even selling them at 2 for a fiver!
glen, sheffield, uk
I was so shocked by what I saw that I shed a number of tears. The barbaric practices forced upon these defensless chickens should ignite a fierce debate within parliament and I hope to god a complete ban of these inhumane practices. I for one will never buy chicken from a supermarket again and will be using my local free range supplier.
Mark Hinson, Buckingham, Engalnd
Excellent programme. I'm on a tight budget but will never buy intensively farmed chcken again. sadly my local Asda has not had any free-range chicken left on its shelves since Chicken Out started so I have had to go without.
Keep up the campaign Hugh.
Liz , Weymouth, England
I have given £11 for a free range chicken before two people in family,and have had 3 meals out of it, the trouble to-day is people dont know how to cook, we buy to many ready made meals . We dont look after each other so what chance does the chicken have. If a farmer only gets 3p a chicken how much does the supermarkets profit. We need more programmes like these.
sonya mykytyn, Plymouth, DEVON
WelI done Jamie and Hugh,
My three sons and I have been watching the show, which was very informative and a real eye opener for some people,
Long may these type of shows continue, as consumers need to be made aware of just what thier food contains!
Chickens deserve a better quality of life than cruel cages, and this sort of thing needs hitting home to the minority of intensivelly reared chicken farmers!
Jeanette Keen, Yeovil, Somerset, UK
flas in the pan. six months done the line the sales will be back to normal. people vote with their wallets.
Phil Barnes, preston, england
This has bought to light the true nature of what you are investing in by buying these chickens-you are funding cruelty- Not on purpose, because the majority of people have absolutely no idea that this is where the meat comes from. To me, I truly believe that these birds lose the will to live long before they are culled. Which on a biological scale releases different hormones that are not natural and categorically has an impact on taste. If they were human beings they would commit suicide, but as animals with instincts they dont have that luxury. The only way this can be stopped is by EVERYONE communicating with what they put in their shopping baskets.
Heidi Parkins, Reading, Berkshire
What Hypocrisy-the government ban fox hunting yet turn a blind eye to the avian equivalent of mass torture chambers.
Nick and Sue Howes-St. Albans
nick and Sue Howes, st. albans, herts
I think that after Jamie and Hugh have exposed the suppliers involved that they do have something to hide.
Conditions are appalling for these birds and the welfare of them is dismissed.
It is a myth to assume that sales of chicken will continue.
I for one will ensure I do not buy chicken for me or my family.
Yes its true that many people are on budgets, however we have choices - my choice is not to buy.
Vicki Fleming, Hampshire, United Kingdom