Project 1882
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Corporate work

European Chicken Commitment

The main focus for Project 1882’s corporate work is having companies within the food industry demand higher welfare criteria for the chickens. This is done by encouraging companies to work with the European Chicken Commitment (ECC).

Through the ECC, companies no longer accept the use of fast-growing chickens that grow so rapidly that a majority of their short life is spent in pain. They also welcome more chickens having access to free range. Some of the companies that have begun implementing the ECC are Best Western Hotel Group, Orkla Foods Sweden, Scandic Hotels Group and KFC.

The European Chicken Commitment (ECC) consists of seven welfare criteria for companies to address when purchasing chickens. The criteria are based on the latest available animal welfare research and have been developed by Project 1882 and 27 other leading animal rights- and welfare organizations in Europe.

Today (as of September 2023), more than 370 European companies have decided to start working with ECC. Thus, ECC is becoming the new minimum standard for the chickens. Besides ending the use of fast-growing chickens and letting more chickens get access to the outdoors, companies that implement the ECC will publish annual reports of their progress. All of the criteria will be fulfilled by 2026.

 

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EUROPEAN CHICKEN COMMITMENT

Companies who work with ECC

More than 60 companies in Sweden are making a difference by working with European Chicken Commitment.

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The European Chicken Commitment criteria:

  • Compliance with EU law and regulations
    Companies who import chicken meat must control that the products comply with EU animal welfare legislation and regulatory framework, apart from the ECC criteria and regardless of the country of origin of the chickens. Example: air quality demands and transportation hours.
     
  • Stocking density
    Studies have shown that the stocking density, or the crowding, should decrease to at least 30 kg/m2 to reduce the prevalence of disease and injury.1 That would also give chickens freedom to move around and express their natural behavior. The criteria also constitutes thinning to be avoided. Thinning, or partial slaughter, means that some chickens are put to slaughter earlier than others. It’s used to allow producers a maximum stocking density during all times and thus make more money. This causes severe stress for the chickens and enhances the risks of infection.2
     
  • Slower growing hybrids
    The fast growing hybrids currently used in the food industry are suffering. They are bred to grow so rapidly that their legs and inner organs can’t keep up. That increases the risk for disease, sudden death, pain and mobility problems.3 The ECC doesn't accept such breeding and entails a list of allowed breeds that demonstrate higher welfare outcomes. That is either the following breeds, Hubbard Redbro (indoor use only); Hubbard Norfolk Black, JA757, JACY57, 787, 957, or 987, Rambler Ranger, Ranger Classic, and Ranger Gold, or other breeds that meet the criteria of the RSPCA Broiler Breed Welfare Assessment Protocol.
     
  • Lighting
    According to the ECC there should be at least 50 lux (including natural light) in the sheds. Lighting levels of 20 lux isn’t enough for a chicken's visual capability. Research shows that chickens have more breast injuries, become less active and suffer from higher mortality rates when it’s darker than 50 lux.4
     
  • Enrichment
    Chickens have a natural need to sit elevated for resting and peck in the ground when searching for food. When having access to their natural behavior, welfare improves.5 ECC declares that chickens have to have access to platforms or perches alongside materials for pecking behavior – besides floor substrates.
     
  • Controlled Atmosphere Stunning
    In many parts of the world, it’s both legal and common to stun chickens by hanging them up-side-down by the legs before dipping their heads in an electric bath. This practice causes immense stress and risk causing injuries. The method also risks failing, which means that chickens are being cut or scalded when conscious.6 The ECC means putting an end to live inversion by adopting controlled atmospheric stunning (CAS) methods using inert gas (noble gasses or nitrogen) or multi-phase systems. It's not a perfect method, but it minimizes suffering.
     
  • Outdoor access
    Free range is important for the chickens natural behavior and access to fresh air.7 Therefore, at least 20 % of the chickens purchased by a company shall have access to adequate outdoor space of at least one square meter per animal. Active efforts shall be made to ensure that chickens are allowed outdoor access for most of the year, depending on weather conditions. This is an additional criteria in countries with strong opinions for strengthened animal welfare, such as France and Sweden. It would of course be better if every chicken had access to free range, which is why Project 1882 encourage companies to do more than 20 %.
     
  • Third party auditing
    To uphold transparency and credibility, companies need to publish annual reports on their progress towards the ECC. They must also demonstrate compliance with the above standards via third-party auditing.

1. a. Dozier W.A. m.fl. (2005) Stocking density effects on growth performance and processing yields of heavy broilers. Poultry Science 84(8): 1332–1338. 
b. Estevez I. (2007) Density allowances for broilers: where to set the limits? Poultry Science 86(6): 1265–1272. 
c. Hall A.L. (2001) The effect of stocking density on the welfare and behaviour of broiler chickens reared commercially. Animal Welfare 10 (1): 23–40.

2. Frosth S. m.fl. (2020) Identification of Transmission Routes of Campylobacter and On-Farm Measures to Reduce Campylobacter in Chicken. Pathogens 9(5): 363.

3. a. Rayner A.C. m.fl. (2020) Slow-growing broilers are healthier and express more behavioural indicators of positive welfare. Scientific Reports 10: 15151. 
b. Wilhelmsson S. m.fl. (2019) Welfare Quality® assessment of a fast-growing and a slower-growing broiler hybrid, reared until 10 weeks and fed a low-protein, high-protein or mussel-meal diet. Livestock Science 219: 71–79.

4. Broom D.M. & Fraser A.F. (2015) Chapter 32: The Welfare of Poultry. I: Domestic animal behaviour and welfare. 5th edition. Oxfordshire, UK, CABI. 

5. a. Bailie C.L., Ball M.E.E. & O'Connell N.E. (2013) Influence of the provision of natural light and straw bales on activity levels and leg health in commercial broiler chickens. Animal 7(4): 618–626. 
b. Lourenço da Silva, M. I. m.fl. (2021) Behaviour and animal welfare indicators of broiler chickens housed in an enriched environment. Plos one 16(9): e0256963.

6. EFSA (2019) Slaughter of animals: poultry. Scientific opinion. EFSA Journal 17(11): 5849. 

7. Ipek A. & Sozcu A. (2017) The effects of access to pasture on growth performance, behavioural patterns, some blood parameters and carcass yield of a slow-growing broiler genotype. Journal of Applied Animal Research 45(1): 464–469.