Project 1882 has compiled all reported violations of animal welfare regulations in the four largest chicken slaughterhouses in Sweden. The mapping shows that chickens all over the country continue to be subjected to systematic animal cruelty. Project 1882 assesses that a systematic change is needed to deal with the serious animal welfare issues.
By requesting inspection reports from the Swedish Food Agency and the County Administrative Boards where the four largest chicken factories are located. Project 1882 has then mapped the reported violations of the animal welfare code in 2022, similarly to what was also done in 2021. The mapping shows that violations were discovered in 60 % of inspections, similarly to the previous year. Something which all slaughterhouses have had issues with was pinched wings and heads, high mortality in transport and corrosion damage from excrement.
– What happens at the chicken slaughterhouses is nothing less than systematic animal cruelty. It is scandalous that they are allowed to continue their business with such major deficiencies in animal welfare, and without measures. The most important thing consumers can do to end the suffering for chickens is to keep them off their plates, says Benny Andersson, CEO of Project 1882.
The most common animal welfare violation for chickens in 2022 was Footpad dermatitis, sometimes so severe that it exposed the individual’s musculature. Several cases of chickens with skin damage were discovered in all slaughterhouses. This indicates high levels of suffering as the chickens have lived in such filthy environments that it has caused damage to their feet. Despite this, they are still forced to sit in crates for several hours while being transported to slaughterhouses. The second most common animal welfare negligence in 2022 was high mortality during transport. More than 1% of chickens died before arriving at the slaughterhouse.s, which translates into hundreds of chickens per transport, and hundreds of thousands of individuals per year.
– I am shocked and saddened that our report shows the same, and in some cases escalating problems two years in a row. This mapping demonstrates that, in practice, the Animal Welfare Act is not enforced and that huge changes are needed to ensure that chickens will be treated in a way that meets the minimum level of the law, concludes Benny Andersson.
Project 1882 strives for a world where every life matters. By supporting our work, you help make that vision become a reality.