News

Burger King commits to making chickens' lives better

March 21, 2017

Burger King has taken a relatively major stance on animal welfare today, specifically, the welfare of chickens, which animal protection organization, Mercy For Animals calls "among the most abused animals on the planet."

Burger King is taking action that will relieve suffering for millions of chickens that enter its supply chain. Mercy for Animals said in a news release that the brand has committed to only using so-called hens that have been raised under the Global Animal Partnership's certification program for animal welfare standards. Full implementation of all the new standards is set for completion by 2024, according to the release. 

Burger King parent company, Restaurant Brands International, collaborated with global farm animal protection group, Mercy For Animals, on its policy involving the chickens it uses for its restaurants. 

"Chickens raised for meat … are among the most abused animals on the planet," Burger King said in its news release. "They are bred to grow so unnaturally fast that they are often crippled under their own weight. Many suffer from constant leg pain so severe they cannot stand, and so spend nearly all their time sitting in their own waste. Continual contact with wet litter causes extreme feather loss and painful sores on the chickens’ bodies and feet. Even breathing can be painful, as the air around the birds is acrid with ammonia from the stench of excrement."

The company went on to detail inhumane methods of slaughter, which it said it could no longer support. As a result, the standards of compliance for its supply chain chicken farmers and others involved in the production of meat for the restaurant, include: 

• Reduced stocking density for chickens.
• Better light and litter quality in chicken barns.
• Controlled atmosphere stunning pre-slaughter. 
• More humane slaughter method.
• Compliance assurance through third-party auditors. 

Burger King's commitment is the latest in a series of similar pledges by chains like Starbucks, Chipotle, Red Robin, Quiznos and Panera.
 
"Burger King’s commitment … should inspire other leading quick-serve restaurant chains to implement identical commonsense welfare improvements," Mercy For Animals Vice President of Corporate Outreach Brent Cox said in the release.