Sainsbury’s has reported a significant improvement in the welfare of its chickens following stocking density changes made this year.
The retailer announced in March 2023 it was reducing its stocking density for By Sainsbury’s chickens, to a maximum average stocking density of 30kg/m², which is 20% less than the industry average.
The move has resulted in better overall health and welfare for the chickens with foot pad scores, hock scores and cleanliness scores all better than they were.
Sainsbury’s has also seen a 29% average improvement in common ailments in chickens.
“Moving our stocking density was one of the most significant decisions Sainsbury’s has made in a decade since moving to 100% cage-free eggs back in 2012,” said Gavin Hodgson, director of agriculture at Sainsbury’s. “It most importantly delivers improved animal health and welfare, and shows our commitment to keeping good food affordable for all our customers.”
The birds also appear more active and show more positive behaviour when provided with more space, with resting nine times more likely to be observed and preening nearly four times more likely to be observed, said the retailer.
“We are really proud of the results we have achieved over the last 12 months that prove moving to the lower stocking density has resulted in happier and healthier chickens,” said Hodgson.
The retailer is currently undertaking other projects to improve animal welfare, including trials with AI real-time monitoring of welfare on By Sainsbury’s chicken farms, to obtain a comparison of bird behaviour pre and post-improved welfare standards. It is also using thermal imaging as an indicator of welfare to establish the effectiveness of feather cover as a welfare indicator.
Read more: M&S cuts chicken stocking densities in latest animal welfare commitment
This comes as Compassion in World Farming has called for more supermarkets to sign up to the Better Chicken Commitment – a package of science-based criteria that when implemented together significantly improve the lives of chickens reared for meat. M&S and Waitrose are the only supermarkets to have signed up to the scheme so far.
To help consumers make informed, ethical choices, CIWF has created a Spotlight table comparing UK retailers’ polices on indoor-reared fresh chicken against the criteria of the BCC.
“The food business team at Compassion actively engages with all UK retailers on the development of their broiler chicken welfare policies and improvement of their public reporting,” said Dr Tracey Jones, global director of food business at CIWF. “The new Spotlight table provides a clear, at-a-glance view of each retailer’s current position.
“It shows more needs to be done across the industry to improve the welfare outcomes of UK broiler chickens, such as moving to slower-growing breeds,” continued Jones. “Whilst recent moves in the UK sector to lower stocking density are a positive step forward when combined with natural light and enrichments, the full welfare benefit will only be experienced when the breed is changed.”
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