In a press release, the brand “announces that it will give itself all the means to meet the criteria” of the European Chicken Commitment (ECC), specifications defended by around thirty animal protection NGOs, including L214, to improve standards of breeding and slaughter of the poultry sector.
Among the criteria: fewer animals per m2, stopping the use of rapidly growing chicken strains, the entry of natural light into livestock buildings, the installation of perches… Lidl follows suit Casino, Les Mousquetaires (Intermarché, Netto), Auchan, Système U or Carrefour groups, which had already committed to respecting the ECC by 2026 for products marketed under their private label (MDD) containing more than 50% chicken.
However, the brand has reservations. It states, “after consulting with suppliers and partner producers”, that two objectives are difficult to achieve by the French poultry sector by 2026: reducing the density in buildings and stopping the use of growing chickens quick.
Campaign the L214
“Of course animal welfare is more than essential to us today”, says Michel Biero, Executive Director of Purchasing and Marketing Lidl France. “But I want to warn very, very strongly about the economic risks for the French poultry sector,” he continues, stressing that the brand is also committed to “the welfare of the breeder”. He calls on “all stakeholders” – farmers, processors, distributors but also NGOs – “to discuss these subjects” so that the decision does not apply “unilaterally” to producers.
“We could put a lot of things in place, create a fund together” to help farmers meet the necessary investments, he suggests. The distributor’s communication “does not meet the minimum measures expected by a majority of citizens and that we have been carrying with Lidl for more than a year”, reacted L214 in a press release.
For the antispecies association, the brand was “probably informed” that it would be targeted Tuesday by a campaign “unflattering” and tries to “dodge” it by publishing a “commitment to the discount”.
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