The move follows eight companies responsible for 18 major hospitality brands — including Burger King, Nando’s, The Big Table, The Restaurant Group and KFC — stepping back from their Better Chicken Commitments (BCC), citing environmental concerns and difficulty transitioning to slower-growing breeds.
Compassion in World Farming — which is working with The Humane League UK and the RSPCA — says that the “deeply disappointing” U-turn comes at a time when real progress on chicken welfare is being made across the sector.
The letter points out that Better Chicken production is expanding, farmers are embracing this way of farming and consumers are buying it.
“Animal welfare is a key pillar of sustainability – ditching welfare is not only irresponsible, but short-sighted. Companies delivering Better Chicken are managing to balance cost, welfare and sustainability commitments, whilst also expanding capacity to meet consumer demand and fulfil customer expectations,” the letter continues.
The letter also states that extensions are available to companies struggling to meet the original 2026 BCC deadline.
“Reversing course on the BCC risks undermining trust in your brands at a moment when public expectations around animal welfare, sustainability and corporate accountability have never been higher,” the letter concludes.
Last year, KFC was accused of ‘welfare washing’ after the fast food giant rowed back on its promise to stop selling so-called Frankenchickens by 2026.
KFC said it could not switch to slower-growing breeds because the UK poultry industry is ‘not yet in an operational or commercial position’ to deliver such an ambition.
At the time, The Humane League said that the protests are partly in response to the praise and publicity that KFC received for signing up to the Better Chicken Commitment in 2019.