The Chicken Check: Retailers under the microscope
What truly lies behind the animal-welfare labels and the happy chickens we see in ads? We decided to take a closer look. Sentience investigated how Switzerland’s biggest retailers care for their chickens. The results are compiled into four reports, released one by one over the next weeks. One thing is clear: there’s room for improvement; and your voice can help make it happen.
Send an email today to encourage retailers to raise their standards for chickens!
In Switzerland, over 80 million broiler chickens are killed every year. Behind this number lie sentient beings bred to grow unnaturally fast, so fast that many can hardly stand or walk. 92 % of them spend their entire, painfully short lives indoors, and never seeing the light of day. In just 30 days, their bodies grow faster than their hearts can keep up, which leaves many struggling to breathe or collapsing under their own weight.
Retailers hold the power to change millions of chickens’ lives…
Their choices shape what breeds are used, how animals are kept, and what ends up on our plates. By raising their standards, they can show that they take animal welfare seriously. In past campaigns, we collected over 23’000 signatures from people calling on retailers to improve chicken welfare. Together, we managed to build some pressure on retailers and to get into a dialogue with them.
But to this day, not a single Swiss retailer has signed the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) and committed to higher welfare standards for chickens. Sentience has had conversations with the major retailers, but despite promises and some initial steps, progress has stagnated.
That’s why Sentience sheds light on these issues.
We took a closer look at how Switzerland’s four biggest retailers – Migros, Coop, Aldi and Lidl – are really treating their chickens, based on information available to the public. What we found paints a clear picture: behind the labels and the animal welfare programmes, the vast majority of chickens in Switzerland spend their lives in suffering.
Our reports lay out the facts. Now it’s up to you and all of us to demand better. Your voice makes the difference – help us call on retailers to raise their standards for chickens.
Swiss retailers under the Check
Every week for the next month, we will release the next report in a series that covers how Switzerland’s four largest retailers – Migros, Coop, Aldi and Lidl – measure up against the standards of the European Chicken Commitment (ECC); a benchmark that sets clear, higher welfare standards for chickens and holds companies accountable for their treatment.
Discover our investigations:
Migros
Lidl
Aldi
Report #4
Migros: bright spots, but the major problem remains unresolved
If Migros, alone, committed to the European Chicken Commitment, up to 40 million chickens would benefit from higher welfare every year. With a market share around 40%, Migros’ choices echo through the entire supply chain. Right now, most of Migros’ chickens are bred to grow so unnaturally fast that their bodies grow faster than their hearts can keep up, which leaves many struggling to breathe or collapsing under their own weight.
Lidl: progress in patches, silence on the essentials
Consumers can see the label on packaging, yet they remain in the dark about how chickens actually live and die. When a company does not publish basic husbandry practices such as maximum stocking density or slaughter methods, consumers are left to wonder: what could they be hiding?
Aldi: it is time to align with your European counterparts
Across Europe, Aldi groups are moving forward on animal welfare. Aldi Spain, Germany and France have adopted the ECC. Aldi Switzerland has not. Until now, many customers may not realise that Aldi Switzerland’s standards lag behind its own European family.
Report #4
The next chapter of our investigation will be published soon. What we’ve uncovered will challenge common assumptions and spark debate. Check back soon to discover the investigations of other retailers.
The Path to Better Welfare
The European Chicken Commitment (ECC) is a science-based framework designed to reduce the suffering of broiler chickens. It sets out minimum requirements that companies across Europe are already adopting:
- Complying with all EU animal welfare laws and regulations
- Implement a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m² or less
- Ending the use of fast-growing breeds
- Meeting improved environmental standards
- Adopting more humane methods of slaughter
- Ensuring transparency, accountability and compliance through independent monitoring
With consumer demand and corporate responsibility moving forward elsewhere in Europe, Switzerland risks falling behind.
Take action now: Help us build pressure on the retailers and send them an e-mail!
E-Mail-Inhalte
Migros
Dear Migros,
I am writing with an urgent request for Migros to sign the European Chicken Commitment, and to provide a clear roadmap for how your company will implement its standards in practice to improve the welfare of chickens meaningfully.
In Switzerland, over 80 million chickens are raised every year in systems that deny their most basic needs: sunlight, fresh air and an open space to move. That number nearly doubled over the past 20 years.
Amongst the welfare concerns for chickens are breed selection, stocking density, housing and other environmental standards, and method of slaughter. These areas contribute most significantly to the enormous suffering in the poultry industry.
In addition to addressing these issues, signatories to the European Chicken Commitment pledge to demonstrate compliance with all standards via third-party auditing and annual public reporting on progress.
Based on current research, we deem that accelerated action is needed by Migros; in particular around breed selection, housing and other environmental standards, as well as method of slaughter. Unfortunately, the lack of transparency around the company’s auditing and reporting on these standards shows the company’s failure to commit to the Europe Chicken Commitment formally, and leaves the public doubting the company’s sincerity.
Since November 2016, the European Chicken Commitment has been signed by more than 200 leading food companies across Europe, from fast food giants to household brands.
I strongly encourage you to join these companies to help improve the lives of chickens and to address the public’s growing concerns about animal welfare, sustainability, as well as food safety.
I look forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Coop
Dear Coop,
I am writing with an urgent request for Coop to sign the European Chicken Commitment, and to provide a clear roadmap for how your company will implement its standards in practice to improve the welfare of chickens meaningfully.
In Switzerland, over 80 million chickens are raised every year in systems that deny their most basic needs: sunlight, fresh air and an open space to move. That number nearly doubled over the past 20 years.
Amongst the welfare concerns for chickens are breed selection, stocking density, housing and other environmental standards, and method of slaughter. These areas contribute most significantly to the enormous suffering in the poultry industry.
In addition to addressing these issues, signatories to the European Chicken Commitment pledge to demonstrate compliance with all standards via third-party auditing and annual public reporting on progress.
Based on current research, we deem that accelerated action is needed by Coop in particular around breed selection, as well as housing and other environmental standards. Unfortunately, the lack of transparency around the company’s auditing and reporting on these standards shows the company’s failure to commit to the Europe Chicken Commitment formally, and leaves the public doubting the company’s sincerity.
Since November 2016, the European Chicken Commitment has been signed by more than 200 leading food companies across Europe, from fast food giants to household brands.
I strongly encourage you to join these companies to help improve the lives of chickens and to address the public’s growing concerns about animal welfare, sustainability, as well as food safety.
I look forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Aldi
Dear Aldi,
I am writing with an urgent request for Aldi to sign the European Chicken Commitment, and to provide a clear roadmap for how your company will implement its standards in practice to improve the welfare of chickens meaningfully.
In Switzerland, over 80 million chickens are raised every year in systems that deny their most basic needs: sunlight, fresh air and an open space to move. That number nearly doubled over the past 20 years.
Amongst the welfare concerns for chickens are breed selection, stocking density, housing and other environmental standards, and method of slaughter. These areas contribute most significantly to the enormous suffering in the poultry industry.
In addition to addressing these issues, signatories to the European Chicken Commitment pledge to demonstrate compliance with all standards via third-party auditing and annual public reporting on progress.
Based on current research, it is deemed that accelerated action is needed by Aldi in particular around stocking density, breed selection, housing and other environmental standards, as well as method of slaughter.
Unfortunately, the lack of transparency around the company’s auditing and reporting on these standards shows the company’s failure to commit to the Europe Chicken Commitment formally, and leaves the public doubting the company’s sincerity.
Since November 2016, the European Chicken Commitment has been signed by more than 200 leading food companies across Europe, including Aldi Spain, Germany and France.
I strongly encourage you to join these companies to help improve the lives of chickens and to address the public’s growing concerns about animal welfare, sustainability, as well as food safety.
I look forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Lidl
Dear Lidl,
I am writing with an urgent request for Lidl Switzerland to sign the European Chicken Commitment, and to provide a clear roadmap for how your company will implement its standards in practice to improve the welfare of chickens meaningfully.
In Switzerland, over 80 million chickens are raised every year in systems that deny their most basic needs: sunlight, fresh air and an open space to move. That number nearly doubled over the past 20 years.
Amongst the welfare concerns for chickens are breed selection, stocking density, housing and other environmental standards, and method of slaughter. These areas contribute most significantly to the enormous suffering in the poultry industry.
In addition to addressing these issues, signatories to the European Chicken Commitment pledge to demonstrate compliance with all standards via third-party auditing and annual public reporting on progress.
Based on current research, we deem that accelerated action is needed by Lidl Switzerland in particular around stocking density, breed selection, housing and other environmental standards, as well as method of slaughter. Unfortunately, the lack of transparency around the company’s auditing and reporting on these standards shows the company’s failure to commit to the Europe Chicken Commitment formally, and leaves the public doubting the company’s sincerity.
Since November 2016, the European Chicken Commitment has been signed by more than 200 leading food companies across Europe, including Lidl Germany, France and Belgium.
I strongly encourage you to join these companies to help improve the lives of chickens and to address the public’s growing concerns about animal welfare, sustainability, as well as food safety.
I look forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Co-Managing Director and Head of Campaigns
