Press release
The Albert Schweitzer Foundation achieved another success: Nomad Foods will implement the criteria of the European Chicken Commitment by 2026. With its brands Iglo, Findus, Birds Eye and others, Nomad Foods claims to be Europe’s leading supplier of frozen foods. The Albert Schweitzer Foundation requested that Nomad Foods take this step forward in a Europe-wide campaign along with eight other animal protection groups.
The criteria of the European Chicken Commitment include the use of slower-growing breeds, more space for the animals and natural light inside the stables. Nomad Foods and its brands will be meeting all of the commitment’s criteria throughout Europe from 2026 onwards. This transition period seems long at first, but a large-scale conversion to new breeding lines will take several years.
»Nomad Foods is taking a step in the right direction. We are delighted to have convinced the company to join the European Chicken Commitment just three days after the campaign was launched,« says Mahi Klosterhalfen, CEO and President of the Albert Schweitzer Foundation. »In Germany, Iglo follows its competitors Frosta and Dr. Oetker as one of the industry leaders in the frozen food sector. We now expect the rest of the industry to take similar steps.«
The European Chicken Commitment
In order to reduce the worst problems in the broiler chicken industry, the Albert Schweitzer Foundation and about 30 further animal protection groups formulated the criteria of the European Chicken Commitment. Approximately 250 companies from the USA and Europe have already committed themselves to fulfill the criteria. The wide array of companies includes corporations such as Nestlé, Unilever and Danone, large caterers such as Sodexo, Aramark and the Elior Group, and fast food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and Peter Pane.
The requirements of the European Chicken Commitment include criteria on space, climate in stables, design of stables, lighting and anaesthesia before slaughter. In contrast to the German »Initiative Tierwohl« (»Animal Welfare Initiative«), the commitment also calls for the transition to breeding lines that are growing at a slower pace in order to reduce the common health problems animals usually suffer from when they gain weight rapidly.
Find out more about the European Chicken Commitment here.
The official commitment of Nomad Foods can be found at https://www.nomadfoods.com/eating-for-the-planet/.