Lakewood, CO—Natural Grocers has pledged its participation in the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), a set of standards for broiler chicken welfare developed by a coalition of animal welfare organizations. Ninety percent of the chicken and chicken-containing products the company sells already meets or exceeds these new standards. The retailer will work directly with the remaining 10% of vendors who currently do not meet all the standards to transition to meet all BCC requirements by 2026.
“Natural Grocers’ commitment to improving animal welfare is commendable, and their recent adoption of the Better Chicken Commitment clearly demonstrates their leadership on this critical issue,” said Jennifer Behr, Corporate Relations Specialist at Mercy for Animals. “We are encouraged by the increasing momentum of supermarkets like Natural Grocers taking meaningful action to reduce the suffering of chickens raised for meat and urge all mainstream and specialty retailers to do the same.”
The ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), CIWF (Compassion in World Farming), Mercy for Animals, and other animal welfare groups have banded together to develop the BCC, to ensure that welfare requirements for broiler chickens and the timelines to meet those requirements are the same for chicken farms, chicken processors, grocery retailers, and restaurants.
