Fast-food Giants Profiting From Chicken Cruelty as EU Urged to Prioritise Animal Welfare Improvements

New report reveals major gap between promises and action, with companies deceiving consumers, while chickens continue to suffer from abuses and mutilations

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, January 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Europe’s biggest fast-food brands are failing to deliver meaningful improvements to chicken welfare and customers are being misled about their progress, according to a new ranking from a coalition of NGOs. With the deadline for voluntary industry commitments fast approaching and EU animal welfare reforms expected next year, the organisations warn that only decisive European Commission action can end the widespread suffering of and cruelty to meat chickens.

The Pecking Order 2025 ranking, a joint project from World Animal Protection, Essere Animali, Humane World for Animals, and Obranci Zvirat, assesses the performance of fast-food and food-service companies across seven European countries, measuring progress against the European Chicken Commitment (ECC) — a set of minimum welfare standards introduced in 2017 and due to be fully implemented by 2026.

Despite years of public pledges, the report finds a widening gap between what these companies promise and what they actually deliver.

“Fast-food chains are talking about animal welfare, but the reality for chickens tells a very different story,” said Dirk Verdonk, Director World Animal Protection Netherlands. “Companies are presenting themselves as responsible while failing to show meaningful evidence that conditions for chickens are improving. Consumers are being misled, and chickens continue to suffer unnecessarily, with cruel practices such as intense overcrowding and extremely fast growing breeds, widespread.”

Promises on paper, failure in practice

While some progress has been made, it remains far too slow. Of the 81 companies assessed, only 37 have policies fully aligned with the European Chicken Commitment, and just 31 companies publish any meaningful data on whether animal welfare is improving in practice.

The report highlights a stark contrast between commitments and action:
- Companies score an average of 41% for commitments and targets
- Performance reporting lags far behind at just 12%

Major fast-food brands including McDonald’s, KFC, Subway, Starbucks, and Burger King are identified as among those showing a lack of meaningful commitment or action. McDonald’s, in particular, has not signed up to the European Chicken Commitment in any European country.

Breed transition: the biggest failure

The report identifies the need for companies to transition to higher-welfare chicken breeds, widely recognised as the single most impactful measure to reduce suffering. Despite being a core requirement under the ECC, adoption of higher-welfare breeds remains extremely limited, undermining the companies’ commitments and leaving millions of chickens exposed to painful health problems linked to intensive breeding.

Chicken welfare: a European Patchwork

Performance varies widely between countries. France leads the rankings, demonstrating that progress is achievable, with Sweden and Denmark also performing relatively well - all countries with significant public outrage about poor animal welfare standards. In contrast, Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania continue to lag significantly behind.

2026: a decisive moment for animal welfare

With the 2026 ECC deadline looming, the report concludes that voluntary commitments have reached their limits and companies must be forced to act. Without EU-wide legislation setting improved mandatory welfare standards, progress will remain slow, uneven, and unreliable, meaning that animals will continue to suffer, whilst human health is put at risk: poor animal welfare brings risk of human pandemics, whilst high levels of antibiotic use lead to antimicrobial resistance.

This year, the European Commission is expected to propose the first major reforms to EU farm animal welfare laws in over a decade. World Animal Protection is calling on the Commission to act on the clear expectations of European citizens by introducing binding legislation that:

- Aligns mandatory minimum welfare standards with the European Chicken Commitment
- Ensures transparency and enforceable reporting
- Ends the most harmful practices in broiler chicken production

“2026 will decide the future of chicken welfare in Europe,” continued Dirk Verdonk. “Companies have had years to act voluntarily and have failed to deliver. The onus is now on the European Commission to turn broken promises into enforceable protections for animals, such as lowering stocking density and banning the use of extremely fast growing breeds and outlawing other cruel practices.”

- ENDS -

Elaine Buissing
World Animal Protection Netherlands
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