Fast food giants forcing misery and pain on billions of chickens, says global study

[editor]

Another shocking report

KFC, McDonald’s, Nando’s and Domino’s Pizza are subjecting billions of chickens to lives of misery that end in a painful death, according to what is thought to be the first global investigation of its type.

The world’s nine biggest chains – also including Burger King, Pizza Hut, Starbucks and Subway – have, following the investigation, been rated “poor” or “failing” on chicken welfare, and accused of putting birds through “chronic pain” in “brutal” industrial-scale systems hidden from the consumer.

World Animal Protection (WAP)’s report found “an almost-universal disregard among the brands … for improving the treatment of chickens throughout their global supply chains”.

The fast-food brands say they adhere to Red Tractor standards or their own animal welfare guidelines, or exceed minimum legal standards.

About 40 billion meat chickens – or broilers – are raised each year in factory farms, living in pain and suffering lameness, skin lesions and even heart failure, the report claims.

Two-thirds are genetically selected to develop so fast their legs cannot bear their weight, and are raised in barren, dark warehouses that curb their instinctive behaviour, the report says.

It identifies six common problems: being bred to grow too quickly; overcrowding; cages that severely restrict movement; alien, unhealthy environments; unnatural lighting, and often “squalid” conditions.

No company was graded higher than “poor” in the report. Domino’s was judged “failing”.

KFC, Nando’s, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s were rated “very poor”.

Domino’s, Nando’s, KFC and other fast food giants forcing misery and pain on billions of chickens behind closed doors, global study says

 

[RhymnRzn]

that is abhorrent, i cant have a chicken sandwich without fear and trembling dressing now.

and how much goes without correction that could be alleviated by cutting down on food waste:

Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill

 

[Poot]

It's obvious when you think about it. The difference in price between a free range, well cared-for chicken and the stuff that's available as fast food or in freezers in nuggets and so on is massive. It's very easy to pretend that you haven't noticed that there's bound to be an element of cruelty, but it is quite obvious. (Don't get me wrong, I'm all for publicising it, though).

 

[editor]

The whole industry is absolutely disgusting.

 

[SpookyFrank]

And the end product of all this horror doesn't even taste like chicken half the time. The whole thing is utterly inexcusable.

 

[ddraig]

but but BUT ALMONDS!!!!

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

The whole industry is absolutely disgusting.

Yep. They put all of this behind privacy fences and on backroads so no one will see their factories. They've even tried to criminalize trying to expose their practices. There's a reason why they don't want to you see what they're doing. If you saw it, you wouldn't buy it, eat it, or tolerate it.

 

[Yossarian]

It's obvious when you think about it. The difference in price between a free range, well cared-for chicken and the stuff that's available as fast food or in freezers in nuggets and so on is massive. It's very easy to pretend that you haven't noticed that there's bound to be an element of cruelty, but it is quite obvious. (Don't get me wrong, I'm all for publicising it, though).

Yep - with fast food chains, I think it's probably safe to assume that if their advertising doesn't feature a conga line of animated chickens singing about how great their lives are, or at least the slogan "We Have Happy Chickens," then their meat comes from animals living short, horrific lives in enormous windowless sheds.

 

[weltweit]

This has been going on a while now. Intensive chicken farming is merciless and done on an industrial scale, hence cheap chicken in supermarkets and British eateries. Hugh FW was going on about this years ago.

 

[StoneRoad]

If you weren't already disgusted, try the Animal Aid info

https://www.animalaid.org.uk/the-issues/our-campaigns/animal-farming/

Some thought provoking stuff elsewhere on that site

 

[SpookyFrank]

Even if you never eat meat or eggs, you're still paying for this shit:

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...ial-scale-farms-receive-millions-in-subsidies

 

[Mab]

Nothing has improved in my country ffs 32 yrs since becoming animal rights

 

[cheesethief]

I doubt reports like this will make any real difference. Who's going to be reading it thinking "OMG, I just never knew!". If you're the sort of person who cares about such things, you probably don't eat in places like McDs & KFC anyway.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

I doubt reports like this will make any real difference. Who's going to be reading it thinking "OMG, I just never knew!". If you're the sort of person who cares about such things, you probably don't eat in places like McDs & KFC anyway.

I dunno, I'm a meat fiend and even I'm beginning to question my meat eating recently.

 

[cheesethief]

I dunno, I'm a meat fiend and even I'm beginning to question my meat eating recently.

It'd be nice to think more people will think similarly!

Although I can't see there being a boycott of my local KFC any time soon...

 

[joustmaster]

Personally I'm ok with the red tractor standard. It seems an OK balance of Welfare and price.

4 quid for a chicken seems about right to make 5 meals.

 

[editor]

Personally I'm ok with the red tractor standard.

That's because you're not a chicken.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Personally I'm ok with the red tractor standard. It seems an OK balance of Welfare and price.

4 quid for a chicken seems about right to make 5 meals.

That's because you're not a chicken.

It's true joustmaster, you're not. Sorry to break it to you.

 

[editor]

It's true joustmaster, you're not. Sorry to break it to you.

Someone had to tell him. His awful clucking gave him away.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Someone had to tell him. His awful clucking gave him away.

I'm been following him round the boards for years waiting on an egg for my tea

 

[joustmaster]

man eggs

 

[Mab]

I doubt reports like this will make any real difference. Who's going to be reading it thinking "OMG, I just never knew!". If you're the sort of person who cares about such things, you probably don't eat in places like McDs & KFC anyway.

Yes exactly, I always assumed this and am floored people who profess their concerned don’t. I just don’t get it. Better food from Thai or middle eastern if you don’t eat animals—really better price for quality.

 

[Mab]

I dunno, I'm a meat fiend and even I'm beginning to question my meat eating recently.

This is why I never have brow beaten anyone or have no right to argue from a “ moral” high ground. However, I believe everyone has the right to correct information—then it’s their choice. It bothers me but we know preaching will never work.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I doubt reports like this will make any real difference. Who's going to be reading it thinking "OMG, I just never knew!". If you're the sort of person who cares about such things, you probably don't eat in places like McDs & KFC anyway.

It has a cumulative effect. Took me a long time and a lot of shit excuses before I gave up meat but I got there.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

This is why I never have brow beaten anyone or have no right to argue from a “ moral” high ground. However, I believe everyone has the right to correct information—then it’s their choice. It bothers me but we know preaching will never work.

This definitely rings home. People have an in built instinct for ethical issues, and rational explanations of them definitely have an effect. Personally I tend to react against preachiness. So laying out the reaity without judgement certainly works with me.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Btw, I'm pissed and that message took me 15 minutes can on my mobile, so that must be true.

 

[weltweit]

Chicken rearing is industrial, there are operations that deliver chicks in the many thousands to rearing sheds, which then feed them up as quickly as possible, from which they are shipped for slaughter and processing before then arriving at your local supermarket as cheap meat.

Hugh FW tried in a couple of his TV programs to persuade people to avoid cheap chicken and instead buy free range at a higher price. He emphasised that free range was more ethical, some of his visitors did try it but many decided to stay buying the cheapest birds, because they claimed they couldn't afford the more expensive birds.

What price cheap meat?

 

[editor]

Chicken rearing is industrial, there are operations that deliver chicks in the many thousands to rearing sheds, which then feed them up as quickly as possible, from which they are shipped for slaughter and processing before then arriving at your local supermarket as cheap meat.

Hugh FW tried in a couple of his TV programs to persuade people to avoid cheap chicken and instead buy free range at a higher price. He emphasised that free range was more ethical, some of his visitors did try it but many decided to stay buying the cheapest birds, because they claimed they couldn't afford the more expensive birds.

What price cheap meat?

It's such an awful, filthy, degrading and cruel industry.

On a personal - and perhaps controversial - note, I think I might encounter problems going out with someone who, when presented with the facts about the hideous treatment of cheap chicken meals, then declared that they didn't give a fuck and carried on buying chicken that was linked with such cruelty. But that's just me.

 

[weltweit]

.. On a personal - and perhaps controversial - note, I think I might encounter problems going out with someone who, when presented with the facts about the hideous treatment of cheap chicken meals, then declared that they didn't give a fuck and carried on buying chicken that was linked with such cruelty. But that's just me.

That is your choice indeed.

But where do ethics stop? I knew someone who refused to visit a new out of town supermarket because mainly of what they feared it would do to town center shops. They got very high and mighty about it and pretty much disowned anyone they knew that used the new store. I think they went too far myself.