Glasgow’s fast-food store is latest target in ‘frankenchicken’ protest
Kentucky Fried Chicken’s (KFC) Argyle Street branch has been the latest target of protests by animal welfare campaigners The Humane League UK (THL UK) for “Frankenchicken” sales.
Frankenchickens, a term coined for chickens bred to grow unnaturally large and fast, pose a pressing concern. This rapid growth harms not only the chickens but also the consumers who eventually consume them.
In 2019, KFC vowed to improve the welfare of chickens nationwide and decrease the use of Frankenchickens by 2026. To address this issue, the company even signed up for the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC). However, last year, KFC announced it would rescind its commitment as “unattainable,” which has been met with outrage throughout the country.
Chris Rhodes, the protest organiser, said: “One thing KFC hasn’t done is change the breed from a faster-growing one to a slower-growing one.
“KFC needs to develop a credible plan to phase out the use of Frankenchicken that they can achieve and then implement it and end Frankenchicken for good.”
Currently, around 145 million chickens are bred on UK farms at any given time, which is a vast majority compared to any other animal.
Rhodes said: “The most abundant bird species in the UK is the wren, about 22 million. So, we’re talking about six and a half times as many chickens as the next most abundant bird.”
Frankenchickens also pose a serious threat to the well-being of both chickens and humans. To showcase their true dangers, Rhodes commented, “Frankenchickens receive about nine times as many antibiotics as slower-growing breeds, so they provide a petri dish for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to evolve.
“This provides a source of the spread of avian influenza, and we’ve recently had influenza outbreaks at Linlithgow Lock, Helix and Kinnaird Park.
“This dangerous disease is killing millions of animals and poses a human health hazard.”
More than 380 people throughout the UK and Europe, including Greggs, Waitrose, Burger King, and M&S, have signed up for the BCC and are implementing changes to address the welfare of chickens.
Rhodes concluded, “KFC must improve its standards and avoid such reckless and cruel practices. It can do this by implementing the BCC.
“KFC must improve their standards and shift away from reckless and cruel practices.”
THL UK and similar advocacy groups are dedicated to maintaining pressure on major fast-food companies like KFC until their animal welfare policies comply with the BCC.
