The ‘Belgian Better Life’ chicken is the result of a collaboration between 5 parties: Belgrabroed provides eggs, breeders meet higher animal welfare requirements such as more space per chicken, and feed companies Spoormans (Arvesta) and Vanden Avenne provide appropriate feed. The charter of rules for keeping chickens in a more animal-friendly way (“Commitment to Better Chickens”) came about a few years ago with the impulse of GAIA. More and more retailers such as Aldi, Colruyt Group, Delhaize and Lidl have signed pacts with chicken suppliers such as Plukon Food Group. By 2026, the goal is to gradually keep all broilers in Belgium in accordance with charter standards.
Breeders work with slow-growing chicken breeds, among other things. Chickens should have 40 percent more room to move around, and there should be daylight, benches and distracting toys in the coop. As a result, chickens not only have a longer and better life, but also have better health. The Belgian Better Life chicken also stands out because it was born, bred and made in Belgium, with strict restrictions on the use of antibiotics.”
The animal rights organization GAIA describes the Belgian BCC chicken as an important step forward. Michel Vandenbusch: “We are delighted that both retailers and producers are committing to progressively ensuring that by 2026 all hens are ‘Belgian Best-Life’ chickens and have 40 per cent more space to move around in a shed with daylight. However, we regret that retailers They have not yet committed to the full package and we hope this initiative will encourage them to do so in the future.
