Co-op extends Space to Thrive welfare standard in convenience first
20 November 2024
• From today, Co-op British breaded and ready to eat chicken will join its fresh range under the retailer’s Space to Thrive brand, which is chicken reared with reduced stocking density (30kg/m2) giving the birds 20% more space.
• The move follows the retailer’s fresh chicken range moving to its Space to Thrive brand range in February this year following a multi-million-pound investment.
Today, Co-op has announced it has become the first UK convenience retailer to extend its improved chicken welfare standard across its British Breaded and Ready-To-Eat range enabling Co-op members and customers to access chicken reared in 20% more space to perch and roam, at the same great value.
The 21 lines, which include Co-op’s British Breaded Chicken Goujons, British Garlic Kiev, British Roast Chicken Drumstick and British Sliced Chicken Breast, have now all been rebranded under the retailer’s Space to Thrive range, which sees chicken reared under welfare conditions that exceed the UK standard, with reduced stocking density and 20% more space.
It also means chickens come from naturally lit barns and have access to pecking objects and platforms for perching to enable more natural behaviours and a healthier life.
Co-op – who sells only 100% British meat and poultry, and free-range eggs - is amongst one of the first retailers to move its entire breaded chicken to the lower stocking density commitment alongside its fresh chicken range, which moved in February following a multi-million-pound investment.
Sinead Bell, Co-op’s Commercial Director, said: “Responsible sourcing matters to us, our members and customers and we’re proud to support British farmers by sourcing 100% of our fresh meat and shell eggs from trusted farms from across Britain. We take animal welfare seriously and listen to our member owners, which is why we took action earlier this year and continued to significantly invest in our poultry supply chain to offer shoppers high quality products at the same great value. Today’s announcement underlines our unwavering commitment to this, and we are proud to be amongst the few retailers to extend the new lower stocking density to beyond fresh chicken.”
Initially announced at the Co-op AGM in May 2023, in line with their members’ requests, the convenience retailer had planned to launch the lower stocking density birds by the end of 2024, but by working closely, at pace, with their supplier, 2 Sisters Food Group, Co-op was able to first make the move 10 months earlier.
Now, all Co-op fresh and breaded chicken alongside 11 Ready To Eat lines are now bred to a maximum stocking density of 30kg/m2. This is reduced from the previous specification of 38kg/m2.
All Co-op Chicken exceeds Red Tractor standards, with RSPCA Assured Free Range chicken also available in store.
For more information about Co-op Member benefits, please visit https://www.coop.co.uk/membership
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Co-op is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives with interests across food, funerals, insurance and legal services. Owned by millions of UK consumers, the Co-op operates almost 2,400 food stores, over 800 funeral homes and provides products to over 6,000 other stores, including those run by independent co-operative societies and through its wholesale business, Nisa Retail Limited. Employing 56,000 people, the Co-op has an annual turnover of over £11billion and is a recognised leader for its social goals and community-led programmes. The Co-op exists to meet members’ needs and stand up for the things they believe in.
For more information or images, please contact the PR team on:
Lauren Chambers
PR Lead – Co-op Food
Group Communications
07595567282
Lauren.chambers@coop.co.uk