Major restaurant chains, including KFC, have ditched a commitment to improve chicken sourcing standards in the UK as poultry demand soars. Eight restaurant groups, which also include the owners of Burger King and Nando's, have left the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), in which they pledged to stop using fast-growing chickens, for an industry-led plan without that commitment. Animal welfare groups say fast-growing "franken-chickens" mature quicker but also have higher rates of premature death and muscle disease.Trade body UKHospitality said the industry-led plan will help restaurant firms reduce emissions and meet surging demand for the lean protein while ensuring secure supply chains. The BBC understands the famous chicken chain owned by Yum Brands buys about 4% of the UK chicken supply. An industry source said there is not yet a large enough supply of slower-growing poultry in the UK. However, animal welfare group Anima International said the change was "about money and nothing else". Its UK chief executive Connor Jackson said the companies' explanation for leaving is rubbish.
BBQ - Have businesses put profit over ethics with this decision? What would be the impact of this?
