Frankenchickens: the debate between welfare and sustainability

The Sustainable Chicken Forum is an “industry-led approach”, according to BBC News NI’s Environment and Agriculture correspondent Louise Cullen.

It’s an alternative to the BCC, focusing on “environmental impact, carbon reduction and consistent supply.”

The SCF maintain that slower growing breeds require more feed, more water and produce more greenhouse gases throughout their longer lives and are therefore worse for the environment and net zero goals.

Allen Simpson, CEO of UKHospitality, the trade body representing the businesses which have formed the SCF, said “consumer demand for chicken continues to soar”.

“However, this demand comes at a time of acute chicken supply pressures and operators rightly have to ensure consistent and secure supply chains, while continuing to improve welfare standards and cut their environmental impact.

Simpson said he’s “pleased that businesses are committed to enhancing their ongoing work across welfare and the environment, and the Sustainable Chicken Forum will play a vital role to make even more progress, as well as overcoming this shared supply challenge”.

However, not everyone is convinced, some campaigners say the SCF is green washing.

Yates said the SCF “is made up of companies who essentially have banded together and colluded to be able to rid themselves of their responsibilities under the guise of sustainability”.