GAIA stages a protest against the sale of "zombie chicken" burgers in front of three McDonald's in Belgium

GAIA action

21 September 2023

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On September 20, simultaneous actions were organized in Brussels, Antwerp, and Namur as the animal rights organization is calling on McDonald's to commit to the welfare of broiler chickens.

At 11:00 a.m., a large screen was set up in front of three McDonald’s restaurants in Belgium, revealing the harsh conditions endured by broiler chickens in industrial farming and highlighting their deplorable state of health. Abandoned to their fate, these birds are incapable of standing upright and exhibit behaviors akin to the living dead, reduced to a zombie-like state. Several participants held up signs and handed out flyers to raise awareness among restaurant customers. GAIA's goal is to persuade the fast-food giant to sign the Better Chicken Commitment, a pledge aimed at eradicating the most egregious practices in broiler farming and slaughter.

The plight of chickens in industrial farming

In factory farms, tens of thousands of chickens are tightly packed into sheds without access to the outdoors or natural light. The population density can reach up to 22 chickens per square meter, resulting in each bird having a living space smaller than an A4 sheet of paper. Chickens from fast-growing strains put on weight at lightning speed, reaching slaughter weight in just forty days. Consequently, they quickly struggle to support their own weight, experiencing leg and joint pain, lameness, paralysis, and sometimes succumbing to fatal respiratory and cardiac issues. Upon arrival at the slaughterhouse, the chickens, still conscious, are hung upside down on metal hooks by their legs. This method leads to numerous excruciating fractures and dislocations of their legs and wings.

McDonald’s refuses to endorse the Better Chicken Commitment

Because broiler chickens suffer a real ordeal in factory farms, GAIA has been trying for several years to convince McDonald's to sign the Better Chicken Commitment, which guarantees better living and slaughtering conditions for broiler chickens. The criteria for this commitment include:

A reduction in the density of birds on farms (with a maximum of 15 to 17 chickens per square meter instead of 22).
A ban on fast-growing strains of chicken, which cause serious health problems in these birds.
Slaughtering that does not involve hanging birds up by the legs, head down.

GAIA has successfully persuaded competitors Subway and KFC, as well as major supermarket chains Colruyt, Okay, Delhaize, Lidl, Aldi, and Carrefour, to commit to the Better Chicken Commitment. GAIA believes that McDonald's should not delay any further and urges the company to promptly sign this commitment.

The environmental crisis is no excuse

GAIA is calling on McDonald's to stop using the environmental crisis as an excuse to justify the horrific mistreatment of chickens. GAIA Director Ann De Greef explains:

McDonald's refuses to sign the Better Chicken Commitment on the grounds that it could increase the environmental footprint of its chicken production. It's an excuse that doesn't hold water. Norwegian chicken producer Norsk Kylling, for example, has been complying with the Better Chicken Commitment criteria since 2019. Yet this in no way prevents the company from considerably reducing its environmental impact, particularly its greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewable energies. In short, McDonald's must stop using the environmental cause to justify the mistreatment of chickens.

Ann De Greef

Directrice of GAIA