Lidl: Difference between revisions

In October 2022, animal welfare [[NGO]]s across Europe accused Lidl of a 'chicken scandal'. Investigation footage filmed on a Lidl supplier's farm in Germany showed sick and injured chickens unable to walk and lying in their own waste.<ref name="The Times">{{cite news |last1=Crossland |first1=David |last2=Ellson |first2=Andrew |title=Chickens 'left to die' at Lidl supplier in Germany |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/chickens-left-to-die-at-lidl-supplier-in-germany-jgx5823x2 |access-date=2024-07-11 |issn=0140-0460 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240712071327/https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/chickens-left-to-die-at-lidl-supplier-in-germany-jgx5823x2 |archive-date=2024-07-12 |url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2022, another investigation was published showing similar conditions at Lidl supplier farms in Spain.<ref>{{Citation |title=Lidl Chicken Farm: Shocking Undercover Investigation |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLYIlFZFim4 |language=en |access-date=2022-11-17}}</ref> Further investigations in Italy and Austria have also revealed severe chicken welfare issues. In the Austrian investigation footage, birds are seen attempting to eat the rotting carcasses of other dead chickens.<ref>{{Citecite web |title=Lidl's chicken scandal |url=https://www.lidlchickenscandal.com/ |access-date=20222024-07-12-13 |websitepublisher=www.lidlchickenscandal.comAlbert |language=enSchweitzer Foundation}}</ref> The chickens in the footage are fast-growing breeds, which reach their kill weight in just 35 days and have higher levels of mortality, lameness and muscle disease than slower-growing breeds.<ref>{{cite news |last=Siddique |first=Haroon |date=2022-09-21 |title=UK government faces court challenge over 'Frankenchickens' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/21/uk-government-court-challenge-legality-frankenchickens |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> NGOs have called on the supermarket to sign up to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), a set of welfare standards which prohibits the use of fast-growing breeds and requires the provision of more space and enrichment for chickens. While Lidl France already committed to the BCC in 2020, Lidl have so far not made a commitment for the rest of their European operations.<ref name="The Times" />