Jan Zandbergen Group made a public pledge to support the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), a set of standards for broiler welfare.
“Transparency is key. We believe this is a necessity for consumers to trust the food chain. By adopting the Better Chicken Commitment, companies signal to their customers they are meeting rising expectations for animal welfare, sustainability and food quality,” said Jochem Versloot, one of the directors at Jan Zandbergen Group.
The company is one of the largest suppliers of imported meat products in the European Union (EU), with a broad range of clients working in retail, food services and industry. By signing the pledge, the company agreed to:
- Actively press suppliers and support the latest research projects to find alternatives to electrical waterbath as a matter of urgency.
- Support the call for the use of water bath stunning to be banned by 2026, and new, more humane systems for the effective electric stunning of poultry without conscious inversion to be developed and commercially available by no later than January 1, 2026.
- Commit to investing and adopting such a stunning method (without conscious inversion) as soon as it is commercially available.
What is the Better Chicken Commitment?
The Better Chicken Commitment – also known as the European Chicken Commitment in the EU – set six welfare standards that address what the group identified as the most pressing concerns in broiler production.
- Comply with all EU animal welfare laws and regulations, regardless of the country of production.
- Implement a maximum stocking density of 30kg per square meter or less. Thinning is discouraged and if practiced must be limited to one thin per flock.
- Adopt breeds that demonstrate higher welfare outcomes: either the following breeds, Hubbard JA757, 787, 957, or 987, Rambler Ranger, Ranger Classic, and Ranger Gold, or others that meet the criteria of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Broiler Breed Welfare Assessment Protocol.
- Meet improved environmental standards including:
- At least 50 lux of light, including natural light.
- At least 2 meters of usable perch space, and two pecking substrates, per 1,000 birds.
- On air quality, the maximum requirements of Annex 2.3 of the EU broiler directive, regardless of stocking density.
- No cages or multi-tier systems.
- Adopt controlled atmospheric stunning using inert gas or multi-phase systems, or effective electrical stunning without live inversion.
- Demonstrate compliance with the above standards via third-party auditing and annual public reporting on progress towards this commitment.
Signatories said they would require their suppliers to meet these minimum requirements for all of the chicken in their respective supply chains by 2026.
Over 100 food companies – including Accor, Compass Group, KraftHeinz, Marks & Spencer, Nestle and KFC – have committed to meet these standards.
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