Protesters gathered outside the Brixton KFC this afternoon (8 March) to demand that the company honour a commitment to improve the welfare of the chickens it cooks.
Protesters are members of The Humane League UK charity.(THL UK).
The rally was one of 11 across the UK organised by The Humane League UK charity (THL UK).
It said KFC continues to use fast-growing chickens, dubbed “Frankenchickens”, which have been bred to grow extremely large extremely quickly.
They reach slaughter weight in just 35 days and suffer from many health problems as a result, the charity said.
In 2019 KFC promised to transition to higher welfare standards by 2026, but has since announced delays, citing “industry challenges”.
“The suffering of chickens in KFC’s supply chain is unacceptable,” said protest organiser Georgina Davenport.
“KFC made a clear promise to move away from using frankenchickens by 2026. Their decision to backtrack is a betrayal of consumer expectations and basic animal welfare standards.”
The Better Chicken Commitment lists welfare standards designed to reduce the suffering of chickens raised for meat, including the provision of more space, natural light, and an end to the use of fast-growing breeds known to experience severe health problems.
The Humane League said KFC’s failure to adhere to its original timeline will leave millions of animals suffering unnecessarily.
Today’s demonstration in Brixton was part of a coordinated nationwide effort to pressure KFC into honouring its commitment.
Protesters vowed to continue to take action if KFC does not stick to the 2026 deadline.
