At the latest by the end of 2023, only chicken with at least one Beter Leven star will be on the shelves in Dutch supermarkets. That means the end of the exploding chicken, animal welfare organization Wakker Dier tells the AD.
Boni is the last supermarket to stop selling quality-free chicken. In two years’ time, that chain will also switch to the Beter Leven chickens, says financial director Frank Klören to the newspaper. Market leader Albert Heijn took that step in March. Things have gone fast since then, says Wakker Dier spokesperson Anne Hilhorst. “Our list is complete, this is a huge milestone.”
The Beter Leven quality mark means, among other things, that the growth rate of chickens is lower. “It is good for the health of chickens if they grow less quickly. The chicken also gets more space and a covered outdoor run,” says Hilhorst.
‘Bad for the climate’
The Dutch Union of Poultry Farmers has doubts about the change. “It sounds crude, but for the climate a broiler chicken is better,” says chairman Bart-Jan Oplaat in the AD. “If all those chickens have to go outside, the nitrogen emissions will go up considerably. And I think the intention is to reduce emissions.”
“So I still have to see whether our farmers will get permits to make this possible and also to expand their stable areas. It will be a big job to get that done in two years,” concludes Oplaat.
In any case, Wakker Dier considers it an important step. “After being hidden from view for decades, broiler chickens are making a comeback in the landscape.”
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