Europe’s fast-food majors failing on poultry welfare progress

Europe is worryingly behind on basic animal welfare commitments, especially the fast-food businesses reliant on the farming of hundreds of millions of broiler chickens yearly. That’s according to charity World Animal Protection’s new Pecking Order 2024 report that measures the commitment and progress food service restaurants make on poultry welfare. Companies measured in the report, among others, included McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Ikea and Burger King. While 71% of the businesses measured have policies on broiler welfare, only 41% have committed to the European Chicken Commitment standards, and just a quarter implement the standards. “Overall, progress is still too slow,” said World Animal Protection Netherlands director Dirk Jan Verdonk. Urgency to increase poultry welfare “This highlights the urgency for companies to increase their efforts: time is running out to meet the commitments they made.” The report shows “a lack of adequate progress” across the board, ...