The latest progress report on the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) has just been released by the Open Wing Alliance, and it shows what real leadership for animal welfare can look like.
Across Europe, more than 260 million chickens are already living better lives because of this initiative and over 1.3 billion chickens are covered by corporate commitments to higher welfare standards. That’s not just numbers – it’s birds who can stand, walk, and breathe more easily. It’s less pain, and lives that are more worth living.
So, what exactly is the ECC?
The ECC is Europe’s version of the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) – a global initiative that challenges food brands, including fast food chains and supermarkets, to stop using the cruellest factory farming practices for chickens raised for meat.
These are the animals most intensively farmed on the planet, bred to grow so fast their bones often can’t keep up. Many suffer leg deformities and other painful conditions, and struggle to walk – or even stand – because of how unnaturally large they’re forced to grow, all for profit.
The ECC/BCC tackles this suffering head-on by setting clear standards for breeding, space, enrichment, and slaughter practices – ensuring they’re backed by third-party audits. And the good news is that companies are responding.
Big Brands are Stepping Up
Across Europe, 394 companies have now signed the ECC, including major names like Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and even Nando’s UK & Ireland. Waitrose will be fully compliant for all chickens by September 2025 – and they’re proving it can be done without raising prices. In fact, M&S saw a 33% market increase after switching to higher-welfare chicken.
Even pet food brands are doing better: Hill’s Pet Nutrition – also sold here in New Zealand – is working to improve the lives of 450 million birds a year by 2030.
Chicken Producers are on Board Too
Some of Europe’s largest chicken producers are helping lead the charge, proving that ethical farming is not only possible, it’s profitable. Norsk Kylling in Norway is already supplying 100% ECC-compliant chicken, reporting lower mortality rates, better health, and reduced antibiotic use. In Denmark and France, suppliers like Rokkedahl and LDC Group are making similar shifts.
So Where Does New Zealand Stand?
Unfortunately, we’re falling far behind. While Europe is raising the bar, only eight food companies in Aotearoa have signed up so far to the Better Chicken Commitment.
Worse, Nando’s New Zealand is refusing to follow in the footsteps of its UK and Ireland counterparts, despite being owned by the same company. While Nando’s UK is reporting progress on its ECC promise, here in New Zealand, they’re still sourcing from unnaturally fast-growing chicken breeds – birds that are bred to suffer.
Nando’s double standard is hard to swallow.
Chickens Deserve Better – And So Do We
Chickens are intelligent, social animals. They feel pain and fear. They deserve more than overcrowded sheds, legs collapsing under their own weight, and a life of suffering. New Zealanders want better, and we should expect better, from the companies we support.
Together, we can push for a kinder, more transparent food system in Aotearoa. Change is happening around the world. But it will only happen here if we demand it.