Broiler Chicken Welfare Reform: The Better Chicken Commitment

The Better Chicken Commitment is an industry-leading welfare framework that major food companies are signing to improve the lives of broiler chickens in their supply chains.

Key Facts

The Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) requires lower stocking density (maximum 30 kg/m2), slower-growing breeds, enhanced enrichment, and improved slaughter standards.
Over 200 major food companies globally have signed the BCC or equivalent commitments, including many leading UK and European retailers.
Conventional fast-growing broiler breeds reach slaughter weight in 35-42 days; slower-growing breeds take 56+ days but have significantly better welfare outcomes.
Slower-growing breeds have lower rates of leg disorders, heart problems, and contact dermatitis due to their more moderate growth rate.
BCC requirements also include perches, pecking objects, and natural light provision as enrichment standards.
Compliance with BCC commitments is tracked and published; implementation timelines vary by company.
The economic cost of BCC-compliant chicken is estimated at 5-15 pence per kilogram over conventional production.
BCC represents one of the most significant corporate welfare commitments in the history of farm animal advocacy.

Welfare Considerations

The Better Chicken Commitment represents a landmark in farm animal welfare advocacy: a concrete, measurable, enforceable standard adopted by major food companies in response to sustained consumer and campaigner pressure. It addresses the root causes of broiler welfare problems — extreme fast growth, high density, barren environments — rather than peripheral issues. Implementation at scale will genuinely improve the lives of billions of chickens annually. The challenge now is ensuring that companies that have signed actually deliver on their commitments and that the timelines for full implementation are met. Consumer pressure that maintains accountability is essential to converting corporate pledges into actual welfare improvements.

What You Can Do

Choose chicken products from companies that have signed the Better Chicken Commitment and are reporting progress.
Pressure food companies that have not signed the BCC to do so by contacting them directly.
Support welfare organisations including Compassion in World Farming that coordinate the BCC campaign.
Ask retailers about their progress on BCC commitments at the customer service desk.
Share information about the BCC with friends and family to build the consumer pressure that drives corporate action.