V-Markt is the latest company to have committed to the criteria of the Broiler Initiative. The retailer will raise its animal welfare standards for so-called broiler chickens, thereby addressing the industry's worst animal welfare issues, including the use of overbred breeds.
V-Markt Aims to Implement the Criteria of the Initiative by 2030
By 2030 at the latest, V-Markt will sell only chicken meat that meets the criteria of the Broiler Initiative in its approximately 45 supermarkets – both at the service counters and in the self-service area and in frozen products. »There are still major steps to be taken before then«, says V-Markt. »We are happy to be taking this path towards better animal welfare and transparency.« The new member of the initiative has already laid out the necessary steps clearly and transparently: By 2028, products from higher-welfare husbandry systems are to make up 30% of the range, rising to 60% by 2029.
Food Retailers Take a Pioneering Role
Food retailers play a key role in the desired transition towards more animal-friendly chicken farming. As a co-initiator of the Broiler Initiative in Germany, the Albert Schweitzer Foundation is therefore pleased to see another important player in the industry step up and take responsibility for improving broiler welfare.
The retailer joins a strong alliance: more than 100 companies from all sectors of the food industry in Germany have already committed to the initiative – including Aldi, Rewe, and Lidl. All of them have pledged, among other things, to reduce stocking densities and phase out overbreeding. Because one thing is certain: in order to meet consumer demand for better animal welfare and bring about lasting change in the market, everyone must work towards even more effective targets and faster implementation.