Progress by sector and by country

Retailers & meal kits

Twenty-three companies report on progress by criterion. Most progress has been made on CAS slaughter followed by natural light and enrichment. Least progress has been made on BCC-third-party auditing. Not all companies report on all criteria.

Four companies, Carrefour Spain, Cortilia, Eroski, and REMA 1000 Norge AS, report on overall progress to BCC compliance. Overall transition is 53.0%

2024 Progress Highlights

1. Auchan improved its compliance with the on-farm criteria from 6-10% in 2023 to 35% in 2024
2. Carrefour Italy reported 17% compliance with breed and 35% compliance with CAS for fresh chicken, and Carrefour France reported 48% compliance with CAS also for fresh chicken, following no reporting on these criteria in 2023.
3. Eataly in Italy also reported progress for the first time, demonstrating high transition on stocking density (90%), breed (80%), and CAS (70%).

Food service & hospitality

Four companies report on progress by criterion. The most progress has been made on natural light and enrichment, followed by CAS slaughter.

The least progress has been made on BCC-third-party auditing and breed change. Not all companies report on all criteria and no companies report on overall transition.

2024 Progress Highlights

1. SSP International reported 22% compliance with stocking density, 9% compliance on breed and 30% compliance with CAS, following reporting a 4% overall BCC-compliance in 2023.
2. Accor improved its reporting perimeter to cover all of Europe and reported 48% compliance for enrichment and 54% compliance for CAS in 2024.

Restaurants

Nineteen companies report on progress by criterion. The most progress has been made on CAS slaughter followed by natural light and enrichment.

The least progress has been made on breed change. Not all companies report on all criteria.

One company, IKEA Food reports on overall progress to BCC compliance. Overall transition is 3.0%

2024 Progress Highlights

1. Greggs plc improved its compliance with stocking density from 49% in 2023 to 65% in 2024, natural light from 16% in 2023 to 78% in 2024, as well as enrichment from 64% to 85%.
2. The Big Table improved its compliance with stocking density from 18% in 2023 to 47% in 2024 and natural light from 18% to 50%.
3. Burger King (UK) reported progress for the first time including 80% compliance on CAS. 

Manufacturers

Six companies report on progress by criterion. The most progress has been made on CAS slaughter followed by natural light and enrichment.

The least progress has been made on BCC-third-party auditing and breed change. Not all companies report on all criteria.

One company, Premier Foods plc reports on overall progress to BCC compliance. Overall transition is 65.0%

2024 Progress Highlights

1. Fleury Michon reported 50% compliance with CAS for the first time.
2. Premier Foods plc reported 65% overall compliance with the BCC. Last year they reported 45% compliance on stocking density and enrichment and 100% on CAS, so have made significant progress.

Producers

Three companies report on progress by criterion. The most progress has been made on natural light and enrichment followed by CAS slaughter.

The least progress has been made on breed change and stocking density and there is no reporting for compliance with BCC-third-party auditing.

Three companies, 2 Sisters Food Group, Norsk Kylling and Plukon Food Group, report on overall progress to BCC compliance. Overall transition is 40.9%

Norsk Kylling are signed up to the BCC and are 100% compliant, whilst Fileni is committed to transitioning 20% of its conventional production and 100% of its organic and free-range production to Better Chicken.

2024 Progress Highlights

1. Fileni improved its compliance with natural light from 17% in 2023 to 50% across all its production in 2024.
2. Galliance is reporting for the first time with 18% compliance on stocking density and breed, 43% compliance on natural light, 49% compliance on enrichment and 28% compliance on CAS slaughter.

Progress by country

The majority of companies included in ChickenTrack are in France and the UK, or report across their European enterprises. The number of companies tracked in other countries is small and so comparing transition data is not meaningful.

55 companies are reporting progress by criteria, and the following table provides a breakdown by country.

Country Focus: United Kingdom

Companies from the UK have made good progress across all criteria except for breed. M&S and Waitrose are the only retailers to have signed up to the BCC, with M&S 100% compliant on its fresh chicken. Waitrose is on track to be 100% compliant across all its fresh and processed/ingredient chicken by the end of 2025.

Following a commitment by Sainsbury’s in April 2022 to move all its fresh chicken to 30kg/m2 there was a ripple of commitments on stocking density across all UK retailers. See our UK retailer Spotlight for commitments.

Labelling is an important mechanism to communicate provenance and method of production to the consumer. For retailers where the BCC is not the entry tier, clear labelling is vital for consumers to choose higher welfare products. Organic and free-range are clearly labelled. However, whilst BCC-compliant certification marks are available for indoor reared chicken under RSPCA Assured and Red Tractor Enhanced Welfare, retailer labelling, through tag lines, is confusing.

Similar terminology is being used to describe both BCC-compliant and non-BCC-compliant products between retailers. Retailers should address the breed element of their offer to ensure the chicken in their supply chain is truly higher welfare and should also ensure their labelling is not confusing.

View our comparison table to find out more about the UK supermarkets' welfare policies for broiler chickens.