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

Pret A Manger Faces Animal Welfare Campaign Over Chicken Welfare Commitment

Animal welfare charity Anima launches a major campaign against Pret A Manger, accusing the chain of delaying its pledge to phase out fast-growing chicken breeds.

One of the UK's best-known high street food chains has found itself at the centre of a major animal welfare campaign after campaigners accused the company of failing to honour a long-standing commitment to improve chicken welfare standards.

Animal welfare charity Anima launched a high-profile protest in central London this week, unveiling a giant mechanical "Frankenwrap" outside Pret A Manger's Oxford Circus branch. 

The eye-catching sculpture, which resembles an oversized Pret chicken wrap stuffed with a whole chicken complete with feathers, marks the start of a week-long campaign targeting multiple Pret locations across the capital.

The campaign centres on Pret's decision to delay a pledge it made in 2018 to stop using fast-growing chicken breeds in its supply chain. At the time, the company committed to transitioning to slower-growing breeds by 2026 as part of wider efforts to improve animal welfare standards.

However, according to Anima, Pret has now pushed that target back to 2032 and has yet to make any meaningful progress towards introducing slower-growing chickens into its supply chain.

Connor Jackson, Chief Executive of Anima, claims the delay has left customers believing they are supporting higher welfare practices when, in reality, the chickens used remain the same fast-growing breeds commonly supplied to major fast-food chains.

The charity argues that these breeds have been selectively bred to grow at an exceptionally rapid rate, which animal welfare groups say can lead to health and mobility issues during the birds' lives.

The London campaign is expected to be highly visible. 

Alongside the touring Frankenwrap sculpture, advertising highlighting the issue is appearing across the London Underground network, while newspaper advertisements are also planned throughout the week.

Anima says it previously attempted to engage with Pret privately but has now decided to take its concerns directly to consumers. The organisation is encouraging customers to reconsider visiting Pret until progress is made on the company's original welfare commitment.

The campaign highlights the growing importance of animal welfare in consumer food choices. Increasingly, shoppers want to know not only where their food comes from, but also how it is produced.

Whether the pressure will prompt Pret to revisit its timetable remains to be seen, but the issue serves as another reminder that food ethics and animal welfare continue to play an increasingly important role in the UK's food and drink industry.

Incidentally, Pret A Manger's own 2025 Progress Update confirms 0% adoption of slower-growing breeds in UK, US and France. The company's new plan targets 50% by 2031 and 100% by 2032, with no steps until 2031. https://assets.ctfassets.net/4zu8gvmtwqss/j2iieCUwjKdP38sRMnaJv/26788fb29e541489d7814aa4da005288/Pret_A_Manger_Better_Chicken_Commitment_Progress_Update_2025.pdf

(Images used are courtesy of Tom Woolard / Anima) 

If Pret a Manger would like a right of reply, please contact That's Food and Drink.