ACTIVISTS from three animal rights organisations – Open Cages, Animal Rising and We The Free – today protested at the opening of a new Lidl store in Warrington,accusing the retailer of tolerating animal cruelty.
Open Cages chief executive Connor Jackson said: “Lidl’s chicken is riddled with signs of disease and animal suffering.
“Despite claiming to be big on animal welfare and quality, Lidl is selling chickens who have been raised in the most cruel and filthy conditions. We are protesting because these facts are being hidden from Lidl’s own customers. We believe people have a right to know what they’re buying so they can demand better.”
“Frankenchickens” are what campaigners call the fast-growing chicken breeds sold by retailers like Lidl. They are genetically altered to grow four times faster than natural to maximise efficiency.
But this practice results in the birds routinely suffering from broken bones, diseases and sometimes even heart attack as their internal organs are unable to maintain their extraordinarily overgrown body.
One survey found that 92 per cent of Lidl’s chicken breasts showed signs of white striping disease. This muscular disorder is a result of the birds’ muscles being unable to cope with the extremely rapid growth rate.
Twenty organisations across Europe are campaigning for Lidl to make a commitment to stop selling Frankenchickens. Hundreds of companies have already done so, including M&S, Waitrose, KFC, Nando’s and even Lidl in France. But Lidl GB has refused, the campaigners claim.
Mr Jackson added: “We have tried for many years to work collaboratively with Lidl, but they have failed to address this problem. So we feel forced to take this conversation to their customers directly.”
More than 350 companies across the world have signed the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC.) The BCC is a science backed animal welfare initiative that prohibits the use of fast growing chickens and crowded conditions for the birds.
Lidl says it has severed its connections with farms breeding the Frankenchickens.
