Activists Blast Tesco For ‘Horrific’ Treatment Of Chickens

Animal campaigners have launched nationwide protests against Tesco over the treatment of chickens supplied to the store.

Animal protection agency Open Cages launched its #StandWithChickens campaign with series of demonstrations around the country, in a bid to urge Tesco to improve its welfare standards for chickens reared for meat

Chicken welfare

According to Open Cages, Tesco allows a stocking density that gives one chicken about the space of A4 paper size.

“Animals in sheds are packed in by the thousands, where they can barely move and live in their own filth,” the organization adds. “Toxic ammonia fumes burn their skin and cause painful blisters and leg burns. A recent study found that at the time of slaughter, 64 percent of the hens had severe lesions.

“Within this year alone Tesco suffered from some scandals [around the provenance of chicken it has sold]. Early this year an investigation from Animal Equality showed the horrific conditions of caged egg-laying hens that supplied eggs to the Tesco stores.”

Animal suffering

“Currently, the chicken farms supplying Tesco use fast-growing breeds that make chickens grow so rapidly that their premature bodies struggle to hold their weight,” Director of Corporate Outreach, Monika Jotautaite, said in a statement sent to Plant Based News.

“Using these breeds often leads to animals not being able to walk nor stand properly and in some cases, their legs can break. When birds cannot stand up and walk, they die of thirst or hunger.

“Tesco always say they ensure the best quality products for their customers, but if customers knew what Tesco’s standard chicken farms really look like, they would be shocked.”

Demonstrations will take place during the first week of December in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

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