Denmark moves to outlaw ‘frankenchickens’ as UK faces calls to act

Denmark is moving to outlaw fast-growing chicken breeds after eight political parties announced an unprecedented commitment this week to work towards ending their use. 

If adopted, the ban would make Denmark the first country in the world to prohibit these breeds, which campaigners call “frankenchickens.”

The birds are selectively bred to reach slaughter weight in around 35 days. 

Their bodies can grow faster than their legs and organs can cope, leaving many with painful leg disorders, difficulty walking and an increased risk of heart failure.

UK animal welfare charities have welcomed Denmark’s move and criticised the lack of progress at home. Anima chief executive Connor Jackson said: “Frankenchickens endure extreme suffering on a daily basis, and Denmark is showing the world what’s possible when politicians take that seriously. For years the UK has utterly failed these birds, leaving them to collapse in agony by the millions.”

In the UK, Waitrose phased out fast-growing chickens in 2025, while Marks & Spencer removed them from its own-brand fresh chicken range in 2024. However, nine in ten chickens eaten in Britain still come from fast-growing breeds.

Jackson said giving chickens more space was positive, but did not address the problems caused by breeding them to grow at an extreme rate. He called on the Government to ban fast-growing breeds from public procurement, including food served in schools and hospitals, and urged major food businesses to honour their commitments.

“In Britain we have made efforts to give chickens more space, which is positive. But we’re still breeding these birds far beyond what their bodies can cope with,” he told That's Food and Drink. 

“As a first step, we need to see the Government ban frankenchickens in public procurement, and for major companies like KFC and Pret to keep their promises and switch to higher welfare breeds like they said they would. Nothing is stopping us from following Denmark and Norway’s example.”

Anima and other animal welfare charities, including the RSPCA, have written to Defra asking it to use existing powers to exclude fast-growing chickens from public-sector food contracts. Labour’s 2025 Animal Welfare Strategy committed to promoting a transition away from fast-growing broiler breeds.

KFC and Pret have faced criticism over commitments to stop using fast-growing breeds by 2026. Campaigners say the Danish announcement should prompt UK politicians, producers and retailers to speed up the transition to healthier, higher-welfare chickens.

anima.org.uk