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Pret Chicken Welfare Promise Delayed Six Years
18 Oct
Summary
- Pret delayed its animal welfare commitment by six years.
- Activists delivered a petition with nearly 100,000 signatures.
- Fast-growing chicken breeds suffer health problems, critics say.
Pret a Manger is facing significant backlash in the UK due to a six-year delay in its animal welfare commitments. The company has pushed back its pledge to cease using fast-growing chicken breeds from an original deadline of 2026 to 2032. This delay has sparked protests, with animal rights activists gathering at Pret's London headquarters.
During these demonstrations, activists presented a petition bearing nearly 100,000 signatures. Critics highlight that the fast-growing breeds often endure severe health problems, including lameness and heart failure, due to their accelerated growth rate. Animal welfare organizations are demanding a clear public roadmap from Pret detailing how it will meet the new 2032 deadline, vowing to end protests once such a plan is provided.
Pret maintains its commitment to the Better Chicken Commitment initiative, a corporate standard aimed at improving poultry welfare. The company has questioned why it is a primary target for campaigns, suggesting larger market players have abandoned similar welfare pledges. Activists argue that companies like Pret have the power to significantly reduce suffering for the over one billion birds farmed annually in the UK, making the delayed commitment a missed opportunity to act.
