Report Ranking Europe's Top Fast Food Chains on Chicken Welfare
The Pecking Order 2022
The European edition of The Pecking Order 2022 explores the animal welfare standards of Europe's largest fast-food chains.
The European edition of The Pecking Order 2022 explores the animal welfare standards of Europe's largest fast-food chains.
Progress has been real and is changing the lives of chickens by the millions
Every year, The Pecking Order ranks fast-food restaurants on their progress towards this Better Chicken Commitment. The outcome so far is both encouraging and disappointing. Progress has been real and is changing the lives of chickens by the millions, the tens of millions – the hundreds of millions even. Big brands have committed themselves and have started implementation. Because they acknowledge their responsibility for animal welfare – and perhaps also because they care about their reputation and about the expectations of their customers and their staff.
Moreover, they probably appreciate the cost-efficiency of the animal welfare improvements – and see the writing on the wall: legislation will catch up and it makes sense to be prepared.
- Dirk Jan Verdonk, Country Director, World Animal Protection, Netherlands
How the scores add up
The Pecking Order (TPO) criteria are based on the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) and developed in line with the latest animal welfare science.
The brands get points for what is in their policies, how quickly they plan to improve and how they are reporting on progress. Every brand is given a grade from failing up to very good.
Fast-food brands must take measurable action
Big brands are responsible for animal welfare
The 2022 Pecking Order results show that brands promote clear animal welfare commitments. Yet, the assessed fast-food and food service companies are mostly performing very poorly in their approaches to broiler chicken welfare in the supply chain.
Too many brands still think they can get away with greenwashing. They can't. For the animals in their care, fast-food companies must commit to implementation.
Chickens are sentient animals who deserve a good life
Sentience science shows that chickens have needs and emotions surrounding comfort, companionship, and freedom; they can experience both physical and psychological pain.
Research has proved that broiler chickens who are kept in more environmentally complex pens have a more optimistic outlook and a more positive mood compared with those observed in low-complexity pens [Anderson, M. G., et al. (2021)].
The ability for chickens to perform highly motivated behaviours is crucial for good animal welfare. Therefore, they require an environment that fosters positive experiences.
