Animal activists claim farms supplying Co-op are leaving chickens in a “horrendous state”, based on footage from hidden cameras.
The footage saw the birds “collapsing in agony, deformed and dying”, with workers loading hundreds of dead chickens into bins, The Independent reported.
Animal protection charity, Open Cages, filmed three East Midland farms supplying the convenience retailer from August to November last year.
It found that the farms were breeding ‘Frankenchickens’, which grow faster than their bodies can manage and commonly suffer from health and welfare issues such as heart attacks, organ failure, lameness, bone deformities, muscle diseases and burns.
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In May, demonstrators urged Co-op to adopt the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), a welfare policy deigned by experts to improve the lives of chickens by replacing fast-growing breeds with healthier, slower-growing birds and giving the animals more space, natural light and enrichments.
Despite 96% of 32,000 Co-op members voting for this at the AGM, the board refused to stop selling Frankenchickens as it strives to keep prices down.
However, it did agree to give chickens more space, equivalent to BCC requirements.
A Co-op spokesperson told The Independent: “Ensuring the animals in our supply chain are looked after is a priority for us, and all our fresh chicken meets or exceeds Red Tractor or RSPCA Assured standards.
“Supported by our new commitment, we will be reducing chicken stocking density to give the chickens 20% more space and a healthier life. We are proud supporters of British farming, allowing us to conveniently provide great quality, 100% cent British meat and poultry.”
