Chicken Production Methods

Lidl’s Chicken Method of Production Labelling Initiative

All of our fresh chicken is sourced from British farms and is grown to the Red Tractor Assurance standard. In 2019 we were the first British retailer to introduce Welfare Windows on our fresh chicken, with the overarching aim of empowering our customers to make more informed purchasing decisions.

We had an overwhelmingly positive response from this initial trial, with 89% of our customers finding that the Welfare Windows helped them to understand different farming methods.

Other findings included:

87% of our customers felt it would help them make more educated choices about the meat they were buying
80% of our customers felt the Welfare Windows would make them feel more positive towards the supermarket selling the meat
80% of our customers felt that they would trust a supermarket using this type of labelling to be more transparent about their animal welfare standards
87% of our customers would like to see this type of labelling used across more meat products that they buy

Chicken Production Methods

Further Information:

Method of Production

Indoor

British Indoor

British Indoor+

British Free Range

British Organic

Space Allowance

Maximum stocking density of 39kg/m² - 42 kg/m²

Maximum stocking density of 38 kg/m²

(By early 2025 all our own-label fresh chicken will move to 30 kg/m²)

Maximum stocking density of 30 kg/m²

Maximum stocking density of 27.5 kg/m²

Maximum stocking density of 21 kg/m² in fixed housing

Maximum stocking density of 30 kg/m2 in mobile housing

Access to natural daylight and outdoors

Farmed in indoor farms with no requirement for access to natural daylight

Combination of standard lighting and natural lighting at 3% floor space minimum*.

Combination of standard lighting and natural lighting at 3% floor space minimum*. Access to outdoors is available up to 8 hours a day

Combination of standard lighting and natural lighting at 3% floor space minimum*. Easy access to outdoors from an early area (weather conditions considered)

Animal Welfare/ Enrichment

It is recommended that producers explore different types of environmental enrichment, however nothing is required

One and a half perching bales as a minimum, one pecking object and two metres of perch space per 1,000 birds

One and a half standard sized long chopped straw bales, two metres of perch space and one pecking object per 1,000 birds

Indoors - At least one bale, two metres of perch space and one pecking object per 1,000 birds

Outdoors - Natural shelter is encouraged, such as hedges and trees

Birds are given access to an outdoor range at an early as possible age. This can provide access to aerial perches, natural dusting areas and access to woodland

When indoors there must be at least two enrichments per 500 birds

Breed

Standard breed

Slow growing breed

Assurance Partners

N/A

Red Tractor

RSPCA Assured

Red Tractor

RSPCA Assured

Red Tractor

Organic Farmers & Growers

EU Organic Label

RSPCA Assured

Red Tractor

*CIWF expect natural light covering at 3% of floor space to be able to meet at least a 50 LUX light level. Natural lighting systems in broiler barns report average daytime light levels of 54.6 to 555 LUX. Intensity variation within the shed helps create functional areas and act as additional enrichment.

Assurance Partners

Case Study: British Indoor

The majority of the chicken we sell in our stores comes from Red Tractor Assured British indoor farming systems. British indoor chickens live in safe and comfortable barns, with a range of enrichment materials that enable the animals to display natural behaviours.

The enrichment within British indoor farms include:

Pecking objects
Perches
Perching bales – typically straw or shavings
Natural light – delivered by windows installed in the barns

The birds are checked regularly throughout the day by trained stock people, allowing elements such as the temperature, air quality, litter quality, water, feed levels and overall welfare of the bird to be monitored closely.

More information on Red Tractor Chickens can be found here.