Many food businesses and grocery retailers remain unlikely to meet a 2026 deadline for adhering to the criteria of the Better Chicken Commitment, a new report by Compassion in World Farming has warned.
Though some companies had made progress in fulfilling the higher-welfare requirements of the BCC, almost a third (29) of the 93 most influential European food companies assessed in the Chicken Track 2024 study were “lagging” behind.
And with the 2026 deadline fast approaching, “urgent action” was needed for companies to fulfil their commitments, the report said.
Breed change and stocking density remain two of the most challenging BCC production criteria to implement and had the lowest transition rates, Compassion in World Farming said.
Among companies reporting progress by criteria, only two – French supplier Schiever Distribution and Waitrose – reported 100% compliance on stocking density, with an additional six at over 50% transition. The BCC mandates a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m² on poultry farms.
Schiever Distribution was also the only company to report 100% compliance on the adoption of slower-growing chicken breeds, with Eataly and Monoprix also making “significant progress” in this area, reporting over 50% compliance. Additionally, six companies have reached over 30% compliance on breed, the report revealed.
Chicken Track highlighted two UK companies as having “demonstrated strong year-on-year progress” and said they “deserve recognition”.
Read more: Asda ends 100% British chicken pledge as it sources from Germany
Greggs significantly improved its compliance in 2024, increasing stocking density compliance from 49% to 65% in 2024, natural light from 16% to 78% and enrichment from 64% to 85%.
Premier Foods, meanwhile, reported 65% overall transition progress this year, marking a significant improvement on last year, where it reported 45% compliance on stocking density and enrichment and 100% compliance on moving to controlled atmosphere stunning.
Higher-welfare chicken production
But with M&S being the only UK retailer to fulfil all the requirements of the BCC, and Waitrose pledging to be fully compliant by December of this year, the report warned more needed to be done by British supermarkets to transition to higher-welfare production systems.
Good progress had been achieved on reducing stocking densities, with Co-op, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Aldi and Morrisons having all completed a full move to 30kg/² within their fresh chicken supply chains. Retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s also offered limited volumes of BCC-compliant products, Chicken Track reported.
However, more progress was still needed in areas such as slow-growing breeds, while Iceland was the only major UK retailer to have no public position on the BCC criteria or broiler welfare standards in its corporate policies.
“The Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) sets out five clear steps to improve their welfare, and Chicken Track plays a crucial role in monitoring company progress,” said Dr Tracey Jones, global director of food business at Compassion in World Farming.
“To make higher-welfare chicken the norm, we urge companies to adopt the BCC and invest in meaningful change through robust action plans and transparent progress reporting. Only when companies reach 100% compliance will we achieve the full impact for chickens.”
Read more: Giving chickens more space is only half the job. We need breed change
It comes as the NFU this week described Asda’s move away from 100% UK-sourced fresh chicken – as reported exclusively by The Grocer last week – as “disappointing”.
“Our understanding is that this is a temporary issue and we have been assured by Asda that they remain committed to sourcing 100% British fresh chicken,” said NFU poultry board chair James Mottershead.
“This is something we will continue to monitor; it is important that retailers stand by their commitments in order to promote confidence within the British poultry sector.”
Asda had cited “current supply challenges” in the poultry market as the driver behind its move.
While the retailer was yet to move to lower stocking densities, a “knock-on effect” of tighter supply due to the widespread reduction to 30kg/m² was being felt throughout the poultrymeat sector, said British Poultry Council CEO Richard Griffiths.
No comments yet