Friday 12 July 2019 1:34 pm | Updated: Friday 12 July 2019 2:52 pm

KFC first UK fast food giant to pledge better chicken welfare standards

KFC is set to become the first British fast food restaurant to sign up to new European welfare standards for farmed chickens to combat inhumane conditions in intensive meat production.

Its decision to adopt the new standards could see McDonalds and Burger King, as well as supermarkets, follow suit.

All have been urged to endorse the European Chicken Commitment, a set of six criteria championed by a coalition of European animal protection groups.

These requirements include stricter auditing processes, reduced stocking density and greater environmental enrichment through perches, natural daylight and pecking objects.

By signing up to the commitment, KFC will abide by a pledge to purchase slow-growing breeds of chicken.

Fast-growing so-called broiler chickens bred for the fast food industry suffer severe health issues such as collapsing under their own weight.

While KFC uses a reported 60m chickens each year, UK and Ireland sales comprise just four per cent of total chicken sales in the UK. Most come through supermarkets.

“Our business depends on the health, sustainability and reputation of chicken farming and, our customers care about improving the lives of the chicken we buy,” said Paula Mackenzie, general manager of KFC UK & Ireland.

Non-profit organisation World Animal Protection gathered 500,000 signatures for a petition for KFC to end factory farming, and has worked with the fast food chain on improving animal welfare.

Ian Woodhurst, World Animal Protection’s farming campaigns manager, said: “This is fantastic news for many millions of chickens. It’s an important first step towards improving the welfare of chickens globally. We hope other regions and countries where KFC operates will follow suit as quickly as possible.”

KFC’s vegan Quorn patty Imposter Burger sold out when it went on sale last month.