Co-op has become the first UK convenience retailer to extend its improved chicken welfare standard across its British Breaded and Ready-To-Eat range.

The 21 lines, which include the grocer’s British Breaded Chicken Goujons, British Garlic Kiev, British Roast Chicken Drumsticks, and British Sliced Chicken Breast, have now all been rebranded under Co-op’s Space to Thrive range, which sees chicken reared under welfare conditions that exceed the UK standard, with reduced stocking density and 20% more space.

It also means chickens come from naturally lit barns and have access to pecking objects and platforms for perching to enable more natural behaviours and a healthier life.

The move makes Co-op one of the first retailers to switch its entire breaded chicken to lower stocking density facilities after its fresh chicken range moved in February following a multi-million-pound investment.

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Now, all of the retailer’s fresh and breaded chicken alongside 11 Ready To Eat lines, are now bred to a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m2, which is reduced from the previous specification of 38kg/m2.

Co-op commercial director Sinead Bell said: “Responsible sourcing matters to us, our members and customers and we’re proud to support British farmers by sourcing 100% of our fresh meat and shell eggs from trusted farms from across Britain.

“We take animal welfare seriously and listen to our member owners, which is why we took action earlier this year and continued to significantly invest in our poultry supply chain to offer shoppers high quality products at the same great value.

“Today’s announcement underlines our unwavering commitment to this, and we are proud to be amongst the few retailers to extend the new lower stocking density to beyond fresh chicken.”