Waitrose becomes the first supermarket in the UK to meet the animal welfare-focused Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) across all its own-brand chicken.
After the first products landed in its stores in April, all of the supermarket’s own-brand fresh, frozen, and ingredient chicken – including chicken in ready meals and sandwiches – now meet the BCC’s higher welfare standards, surpassing the industry-wide deadline of 2026.
Waitrose noted that the achievement gives shoppers the assurance that every own-brand chicken product on its shelves is ethically sourced to industry-leading welfare standards. This means the retailer’s chicken is sourced from slower-growing breeds, with birds having more space to roam and roost.
The roll-out is being supported by Waitrose’s new first-of-its-kind welfare labelling. The labelling system across all chicken products aims to give shoppers clear, visual insight into how their food was produced. The supermarket stated that the five-tier system will help customers “make informed decisions” by rating chicken based on farming methods and quality of life, with the bottom two tiers absent from all Waitrose own-brand products.
To celebrate the milestone achievement, Waitrose is teaming up with comedian, writer and creator of Taskmaster, Alex Horne, and his band, The Horne Section, to release a tongue-in-cheek music track urging the nation to “check, check, check your chicken” buying behaviour in Waitrose and elsewhere to ensure it meets the BCC welfare standards.
Launching today, the tune will be heard across social media, with the roll-out of BCC products also supported across OOH, DOOH, print, audio, paid media, PR and influencer relations.
Charlotte Di Cello, Chief Commercial Officer at Waitrose, said: “We’re proud to be the only UK grocer to offer BCC welfare standards as a minimum across all our Waitrose-branded chicken products – including fresh, frozen and ingredient chicken. When we say all, we mean it, without compromise – all fresh, frozen, sandwiches, pizza, stock, prepared meals, everything. Our customers can be assured that Waitrose continues to be number one for animal welfare.
“We’re not stopping there. We’re calling on the UK Government to make animal welfare labelling mandatory across all retailers so that all shoppers, regardless of where they buy their food, can make more conscious choices that align with their values. And with a little help from Alex Horne and The Horne Section, we hope the nation will be checking their chicken and singing about better animal welfare too.”
