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Eight undisclosed hospitality businesses have announced the launch of the Sustainable Chicken Forum, in a bid to improve animal welfare while addressing environmental sustainability and supply chain pressures.
The initiative includes 18 brands that have withdrawn from the Better Chicken Commitment. These businesses claim the previous framework is no longer suitable for driving progress due to its reliance on slower-growing breeds.
The forum will focus on science-based welfare outcomes and reporting mechanisms. Members intend to explore research into balancing poultry production with carbon reduction and food security.
Research by RSK ADAS suggests slower-growing breeds produce 24.4% more greenhouse gas emissions and require 34.5% more water than industry standards. A shift to these breeds could also reduce European poultry production by 44%.
Supply remains constrained by avian flu outbreaks and changes to production systems. While UK suppliers have moved toward a 30kg per square metre stocking density, planning rejections for larger farms have hindered capacity.
The founding hospitality groups will advocate for joined-up poultry policy to overcome restrictive planning rules. They aim to ensure a secure and affordable supply of chicken while meeting legal obligations to decarbonise food consumption.
The forum includes representatives from across the hospitality, farming, and veterinary sectors. Members will work with the Zero Carbon Forum to identify holistic solutions for the poultry supply chain.
Allen Simpson, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Our restaurants and food-to-go brands are critical parts of the high street and we know that 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.”
Bob Gordon, director of the Zero Carbon Forum, added: “Improving chicken welfare while reducing carbon emissions is a complex but important challenge for the sector. We welcome the Sustainable Chicken Forum’s ambition to decouple increases in emissions from welfare improvements and to adopt a more holistic, system-wide approach.”
