New investigation exposes the corporate grip on Europe’s chicken meat industry

A recent investigation has revealed that Europe's chicken meat industry is heavily controlled by a small number of large companies, with only one company being farmer-owned. This consolidation in the industry results in farmers being locked into long-term contracts and unable to influence production conditions, which often prioritize cost-effectiveness and maximum outputs over other considerations. As a result, around 90% of meat chickens in the EU are raised in intensive systems, leading to serious welfare issues for the animals.

The investigation also uncovered external costs associated with this consolidation, including poor working conditions, public health risks from foodborne illnesses and antibiotic resistant superbugs, and public money being used to bail out the industry during disease outbreaks. Eurogroup for Animals is calling on the European Commission to revise the EU Broiler Directive to improve the lives of chickens raised for meat by reducing stocking densities, favoring slower-growing, higher welfare breeds, and providing natural light and enrichment for the animals' well-being.