With the ECC standards, CIWF aims to improve poultry welfare further. But at what cost to producers and consumers?

Animal rights NGO Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), committed to protecting farm animal welfare, has launched the European Chicken Commitment (ECC), a protocol calling for improved standards in rearing broiler chickens. It sets stricter requirements than current EU legislation, such as the use of slow-growing genotypes, lower stocking densities and adopting environmental enrichment tools to improve animal welfare.

Many European companies, including retailers, restaurants and catering services, have joined, committing to higher standards across the poultry supply chain (fresh, frozen and processed) by 2026. However, some crucial questions remain unanswered: Will it be economically viable for companies to comply with the ECC standards? And most importantly, will it positively impact the environment by reducing the poultry sector’s environmental footprint, or will it increase resource consumption? Finally, what will be the impact on total chicken production in Europe?

The real impact of ECC standards

To answer these fundamental questions, the Association of Poultry Processors and Retailers in the EU (AVEC) commissioned an impact study last year on the additional costs and potential consequences of a full conversion of current European chicken production to ECC standards. The study, carried out independently by RSK ADAS Ltd (ADAS), a UK-based consultancy specialising in agriculture, examines the differences between standard and ECC-compliant production in detail. The analysis focuses on key metrics such as cost per kg of meat, impact on greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and the need for new housing space.

The study’s results are far from encouraging. The ECC imposes stricter standards than current EU legislation, including a maximum stocking density of 30 kg/m2 and the use of slow-growing genotypes. Compared to standard production, this would increase production costs by 21.9% per animal and 37.5% per kg of meat. Feed and water consumption would increase by 34.5% and 34.6% per kg of meat, corresponding to an additional 7.3 million tonnes of feed and 12.44 million cubic metres of water per year.

Poultry meat production in Europe would fall by 44%, leading to massive imports of poultry products from third countries with significantly lower production and animal welfare standards than in Europe.

The environmental impact would not be positive either: according to the study, greenhouse gas emissions would increase by 24.4% per kg of meat produced. To maintain the current level of chicken production in the EU would require 9,692 new farms (25.5 million additional m²) and an estimated investment of 8.24 billion euros.

ECC Standard: “Significant economic and environmental impact”

As we have seen while adopting ECC could further improve animal welfare standards, it would also entail exorbitant additional costs and negative impacts on production and the environment through increased resource consumption. This study highlights these aspects in calculating the cost per kilogram of meat, unlike previous analyses, which often underestimate the real impact of moving to ECC standards.

These effects on production would inevitably lead to higher prices for chicken meat, potentially excluding a large proportion of consumers, but also to a significant increase in imports from third countries with lower animal welfare standards.

“The ECC aims to improve animal welfare, but it is crucial to recognise that these improvements have significant economic, social and environmental implications,” says Gert-Jan Oplaat, President of AVEC: “We know that chicken consumption in the EU is expected to increase over the next 10 years, so consumers should be able to choose products with higher animal welfare, and a higher cost if they wish, but conventional and affordable options must remain available to all”.

The association, chaired by Oplaat, promotes the development of production-based animal welfare indicators based on scientific and objective criteria to assess real farming conditions. It also supports effective farm management, adequate farmer training, and a regulatory framework that encourages progress through concrete and achievable targets for producers.