MORRISONS has said it will introduce a range of Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) poultry next year.
The principal differences between the new range and Morrisons current offering will be a change of breed to a slower-growing variant and lower stocking densities.
See also: The cost and returns of slower-growing broilers
The retailer said it would work with its farming supply chain to introduce an ‘affordable’ range using the Redbro breed from Hubbard.
It added that it would work with Compassion in World Farming to monitor farms and design a new standard.
Morrisons also requires that all birds are hatched on-farm, a measure beyond the BCC standards.
Welfare
Sophie Throup, head of agriculture at Morrisons, said: “Improving animal welfare is very important to customers and it’s very important to us.
“We want to support the Better Chicken Commitment by starting right back at the farms and breeding birds specifically to launch a dedicated range.
“This is on top of the higher standards of chicken welfare we already have with our farmers.
“We are pleased to be working with our farmers and Compassion in World Farming as we develop our new higher welfare but still affordable Better Chicken Commitment range.”
It is the latest supermarket to announce a trial of birds reared to the BCC standard.
Waitrose and Marks & Spencer have said they will switch entirely to BCC birds by 2026.
Tesco, Aldi and Lidl have all introduced lines alongside their current poultrymeat offering.
