In a document posted on the company’s website today, Fearnley-Whittingstall argues that intensive broiler chickens do not meet the Farm Animal Welfare Council’s “Five Freedoms” standard that Tesco has adopted as its animal welfare policy.
The five freedoms are:
• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from pain, injury or disease
• Freedom to express normal behaviour
• Freedom from fear and distress
Fearnley-Whittingstall claimed standard broiler chickens:
• Sustain a significant percentage of hockburn
• Have no access to natural light
• Have no access to range outside
• Have no access to perches or other objects that would allow them to express their natural behaviour
He said the current situation was damaging Tesco’s reputation.
But the retailer hit back, saying it was totally committed to poultry welfare and that it met, and in a number of areas, exceeded national farm assurance standards on chicken production.
It said the RSPCA Freedom Food standards that Fearnley-Whittingstall wants them to meet exceed the “Five Freedoms” standard.
Tesco added: “We do not agree that this approach is the best way of advancing animal welfare.
“It would in effect commit us to restricting choice for our customers and pricing out many of them. This would hit our lower-income customers very hard, especially at a time when they are already concerned about rising costs.”
It urged shareholders to vote against the motion.
