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Friday, March 29, 2024

Petition Calls on KFC, Pizza Hut to Work Towards Raising Chicken Welfare

World Animal Protection India has launched a petition demanding that KFC and Pizza Hut, which are a part of Yum! Brands, source chickens from poultry farms with higher broiler chicken welfare standards.

The petition calls on these fast-food giants to formally sign the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) and source their chicken responsibly.

“Let’s be the driving force and call on Yum! Brands India for incorporating better welfare for chickens in its supply chain for brands like KFC and Pizza Hut by formally signing the Better Chicken Commitment,” the organisation asserts.

By signing the BCC, companies are required to abide by certain higher welfare parameters in their supply chain and production process. These include sourcing from breeders who:

  • demonstrate higher welfare outcomes, such as those who rear slower-growing breeds. When raised in favourable conditions, these breeds have lower health risks associated with rapid growth such as leg disability and overweight
  • maintain maximum stocking density of 2.7kg/ ft2 and prohibit the use of broiler cages. This helps in reducing overcrowding and minimises stress, by allowing chickens to indulge in their favourite activities, such as walking, scratching, and mashing the dust
  • provide birds with enriched environments including exposure to natural light, suitable perching spaces and peaking substrates along with a ban on cages or multi-tier systems to captivate birds
  • process chickens in a manner that avoids pre-stun. By using effective methods such as a multi-step-controlled atmosphere processing system (CAS) will help induce an irreversible stun

The current poor production systems and inhumane ways to generate higher output make these farms susceptible to the outbreak and spread of deadly diseases. The unhygienic conditions and harmful insemination techniques used on chickens drive the spread of dangerous bacteria that pose a risk to human health.

The open letter addressed to the Yum! Restaurants India Pvt. Ltd. urges the company to adhere to the above-mentioned welfare standards for all their OSR chains in order to improve the lives of millions of chickens nationwide. It also emphasises providing customers with the higher welfare proteins they deserve.

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