Urge food businesses to do better for chickens
Australia’s chicken meat industry impacts over 700 million lives every year, making it the largest land-based animal sector in the country. Despite scientific evidence of widespread suffering and increasing consumer demand for higher welfare standards, chickens bred for meat continue to endure short, miserable lives. From rapid growth rates to overcrowded living conditions, and outdated slaughter practices, the welfare issues in this industry are immense and long overdue for change.
The Better Chicken Australia campaign aims to fix the areas causing the most significant suffering for meat chickens by urging food businesses to adopt a global agreement that addresses the most pressing concerns for meat chicken welfare, known as the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC). This set of science-based requirements includes transitioning to healthier, slower growing chicken breeds, improving living conditions, and adopting more humane slaughter methods.
These changes are not only necessary but achievable. Hundreds of food businesses across the globe have already committed to the BCC, significantly reducing the suffering of millions of chickens. Now, it’s time for Australian business to follow suit.
Why are we targeting food businesses?
Food businesses can play a crucial role in improving standards and are able to implement changes at a faster rate than government. By choosing to source from more ethical suppliers, such as producers that meet the BCC requirements, they lead the industry toward higher welfare practices. But these changes won’t happen without pressure from customers.
Businesses listen to their customers, because they rely on their support.
That is why the public must demand better treatment of animals by directly engaging with businesses. For example, in Australia, public support for the end of battery cages in the egg industry has resulted in commitments by Coles and Woolworths to stop selling cage eggs by 2025.
Our collective voices are vital in achieving change.
This is where you come in. By joining the campaign and writing letters to Nando’s, The Coffee Club and Zeus Greek Street (coming soon), you can directly urge them to bring the BCC standards into their supply chains.
Why...
Nando’s? As Australia’s second-largest market globally, Nando’s commitment to the BCC would improve the lives of millions of chickens.
The Coffee Club? While their New Zealand operations have signed on to the BCC, it’s time for The Coffee Club to match this standard in Australia.
Zeus Greek Street? The home-grown Aussie brand has a core value of doing food honestly – we think there’s nothing more honest than supporting higher animal welfare standards.
Demand better for chickens today.
The success of past campaigns, like those targeting battery cages, show that collective action creates change. Public support for higher welfare standards has already improved the lives of millions of animals worldwide. Now it’s time to extend that change to chickens raised for meat.
Will you urge Australian food businesses to step up and take responsibility for the welfare of chickens in their supply chains? To help you get started, we’ve drafted letters to Nando’s and the Coffee Club, please personalise the letter for greater impact.
Coming soon
Header image: Animal Liberation