Same Aldi, different standards across borders

After Migros and Lidl, Aldi steps into the spotlight. Does it live up to the European Chicken Commitment (ECC), the scientific framework designed to reduce the suffering of broiler chickens?

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. The fix is straightforward: sign and commit to the ECC.

Send an e-mail now.

Aldi built its reputation on ruthless efficiency. Now, the retailer needs to bring that same discipline to animal welfare. Aldi Switzerland is currently dragging behind: no transparency, no ECC pledge, and a silence that risks undermining the brand’s progress across Europe. The solution couldn’t be simpler: sign onto the ECC, publish the data, and put a timeline on the table.

Aldi: it is time to align with your European counterparts

Aldi shows some promising elements, notably in legal compliance, as it adheres to Swiss/EU-equivalent animal-welfare rules and references SST and SRPA⁄BTS and RAUS, and organic lines in its reporting. However, the core welfare drivers remain unaddressed. For instance, the company publishes no maximum stocking density, merely implying lower densities without independent verification. It provides no disclosure on breed, with slower-growing strains appearing limited to niche, labelled products. Environmental conditions are equally opaque: there are no public metrics on lighting, enrichment or air quality, and current Swiss baselines still fall far short of the ECC’s requirements. On stunning and slaughter, Aldi mentions “proper stunning” but offers no commitment to CAS or transparency on its use. And whilst it cites independent control bodies, it does not publish ECC-style annual reports that track progress against each criterion. In short: scattered indications of effort exist, but the most consequential gaps remain unfilled.

That’s why we need you. Your voice makes the difference – help us call on retailers to raise their standards for chickens.

Aldi Switzerland lags behind on both policy and disclosure

Aldi leans on Swiss-EU-equivalent law and name-drops local welfare programmes, but it skips the numbers that actually matter. There is no public data on stocking density, breed selection, environmental enrichments, or slaughter methods. Proper stunning is mentioned without specifics, slower-growing breeds are not confirmed, and transparency is thin across the board. In comparison with its European counterparts, Aldi Switzerland lags behind on both policy and disclosure.

Discover the full report on Aldi’s compliance with the ECC:

Why consistency across the entire brand is critical

Aldi is widely recognised for its efficiency and disciplined operations; and these are qualities that consumers expect to hold true across all its markets. When welfare standards vary between countries, Aldi’s reputation loses coherence, and Swiss customers are left behind. Today’s consumers expect brands to apply the same ethical values everywhere, not just where it is convenient. By aligning with the ECC, Aldi would restore consistency, strengthen trust, and show that efficiency and animal welfare can advance together.

The path is clear, we are asking Aldi to:

• Stop: hiding vital metrics behind generic language
• Continue: following Swiss programmes baselines, third-party checks and organic lines.
• Start: publishing maximum stocking density; breed selections (and percentages); lighting; enrichments; air quality; and committing to 100% CAS with dated milestones.
  Sign and commit to the ECC.

Same Aldi, same standards, across borders. Swiss customers and broiler chickens deserve nothing less.

Send an e-mail now.