Global fast food giants are propping up cruel chicken farming. They need to act now
The Pecking Order 2020
See their scores
Click on the company names below to see where these fast food giants land on our scale compared to 2019
Click on the company names below to see where these fast food giants land on our scale compared to 2019
Since publishing our report, Restaurant Brands International (owner of Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes) has reiterated its commitment to chickens in North America. This includes using slower-growing breeds and giving chickens more space and enrichments. Thank RBI for adopting the Better Chicken Commitment.
Since publishing our report, Pizza Hut Europe has pledged to adopt the European Chicken Commitment in its European outlets. This includes using slower-growing breeds and giving chickens more space and enrichments. Thank Pizza Hut for improving the lives of chickens and ask that they extend the commitment to all its outlets.
Global brands have a responsibility to improve chicken lives everywhere
- 40 billion chickens are forced to live in overcrowded factory farms every year.
- Many will have a space smaller than an A4 piece of paper to live, in barns often crammed with tens of thousands of chickens.
- They will spend most of their lives sitting or lying in their own waste.
- They suffer painful leg and foot injuries resulting these poor living conditions combined with being bred to grow unnaturally fast and large.
Companies must take global action
Fast food empires are built on the concept of consistency, but what’s being served to customers in different parts of the world is shockingly different.
Global brands have a responsibility to improve chicken lives everywhere, not just in a few countries, or face calls of hypocrisy. While KFC in six countries has committed to improving the treatment of chickens in their supply chain, KFC Canada has made no commitment and has not responded to our request for a meeting.
Why should customers in some parts of the world have to accept lower welfare standards?
What we're asking these brands to do
To stop the inexcusable suffering of billions of chickens a year, these brands must:
- Give chickens the freedom to move, and stop using cages.*
- Use breeds which grow at a healthier, more natural rate
- Provide chickens with environments that permit them to behave naturally
- Adopt these changes in all countries
*Cages are not used for broiler chicken production in Canada.
But aren’t Canadian producers governed by Codes of Practice?
In Canada, the Codes of Practice set out guidelines for on-farm care of animals. The poultry code, unfortunately, still permits the use of conventional breeds – those that grow too fast and quickly to the detriment of their welfare. The requirements in the code are also weak in terms of space provisions, light-dark cycles and enrichments. No enrichments for broiler chickens are required.
The Codes of Practice are revised every 10 years. The next poultry code will be published in 2026. We encourage the industry to ensure stronger welfare standards in upcoming Code of Practice. In the meantime, we encourage producers to take proactive action by adopting higher standards on farms.
What you can do
Send a tweet to each company we’ve assessed to ask that they commit to higher welfare for chickens. Click on the company names above to see how each of these fast food giants scored and tweet to them.
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