We have completed the switch to a new agricultural programme across all our supplying broiler farms, reducing the number of birds placed on each of these farms across our entire farming supply chain.
On 29th March 2025, chicks were placed on the final broiler farm to transfer to a new, lower, stocking density. As of today, every broiler farm supplying Avara is operating at 30kg per square metre, down from the previous, Red Tractor, standard of 38kg/m2.
Based on the experience of prior implementation on a number of trial farms throughout 2024, we expect our excellent welfare performance to improve further, particularly in the assessment of behavioural welfare. Having fewer birds on a farm should be a positive change for the farmer too, with more space in the houses making it easier to review flock health and identify issues early.
The switch reflects commitments by the majority of UK retailers to sell their core range of fresh primary chicken, a key purchase for over 90% of UK consumers, to birds reared at a lower stocking density and cements our position as a leading UK supplier of high quality, natural and sustainable protein.
Talking about the change, incoming CEO, Chris Hall said, “Switching our programme to a lower stocking density is another step forward in quality and higher welfare with our customers, supplied here in the UK to standards shoppers can trust. Our retail customers have made a commitment and we know, though our insight, that consumers are increasingly interested in the welfare and sustainability credentials of the food they buy. That’s why it’s been important for us to carefully manage those requirements: improving welfare while reducing our environmental footprint, while recognising that our cost of production must remain competitive, here in the UK to protect food security for the public.”
David Neilson, Avara’s Agriculture Director, added, “We’ve been achieving best in class welfare outcomes for a few years now, the drop in stocking density is an investment in bird welfare and we know all measurable areas of welfare will improve further. Bird activity is also a key indicator of health and, with more space, flocks are more active and display more natural behaviour traits. I also see this as a positive move for farmers, where they have more time and space to manage their flocks. Feedback from farmers already working to the lower stocking density model has been positive.”
As Britain’s favourite meat, accounting for over 50% of meat consumption, the demand for UK poultry remains very high. Home-grown poultry offers further advantages of traceability and stringent domestic oversight. This change is another example of proactive continuous improvement and the delivery of world-leading standards.
However, to maintain these standards and ensure a secure food supply chain for British shoppers, it is critical there is a level playing field for UK produced versus imported poultry product. “We already import almost half of the poultry we consume.” commented Hall, “Unless we value and protect our home-grown production, and the standards it represents, the risk is that we are more reliant on other countries, at a time when the global picture is rapidly changing. We have to be able to look after ourselves in an uncertain world, and food security, alongside energy and defence is critical to that”.