Thanks to those who called on supermarket chain Rewe to join the ECC, we are one step further along the way to achieving better living conditions for chickens.
With a months-long campaign, we called on Germany’s second-largest food retailer to join the European Chicken Commitment. Following lengthy negotiations with us, Rewe Group (incl. Penny) has publicly committed to increasing animal welfare for chickens raised for meat, so-called broiler chickens. The more than 145,000 people who took part in our campaign have undoubtedly helped bring this decision about.
Rewe will not, for the time being, comply with our request to join the European Chicken Commitment.
The food retailer will, however,
- advocate for the adoption of the stricter criteria of the Chicken Commitment into the German Animal Welfare Initiative »Initiative Tierwohl«.
- convert its product range, as was announced before, to comply with the requirements of their label »husbandry form« level 3 as the new minimum standard for meat from chickens, pigs, turkeys and cows by 2030, and
- call on policymakers to better promote the animal welfare-friendly conversion of sheds.
The »Initiative Tierwohl« is an alliance of the animal industry and food retailers in Germany. If it adopted the criteria of our Chicken Commitment, this would be a major step forward towards better living conditions for several hundred millions of chickens. The European Chicken Commitment addresses the most critical issues in chicken farming. It sets new minimum standards for the breeding, keeping and slaughter of chickens raised for meat. Its criteria cover important aspects such as overbreeding, which have so far not (sufficiently) been taken into consideration in the »Initiative Tierwohl« or its »husbandry form« labelling, respectively.
Since Aldi and some 30 other food retailers throughout Europe have already joined the European Chicken Commitment, Rewe’s announcement that it will increase its animal welfare standards for chickens raised for meat will further add to the pressure on the industry. We will remain in contact with the companies and continue to work towards extensively implementing higher animal welfare standards.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us in reminding Rewe of its responsibility!
Of course, our thanks also go to our supporters, who make it possible for us to join forces in alleviating the suffering of chickens, in the first place.
If you would also like to help with a donation, you can do so here.