The State of Poultry Farming in France: A Commitment to Welfare and Sustainability

The French poultry industry is making significant strides in improving animal welfare and environmental sustainability, aligning with heightened consumer expectations and supermarket demands.

Meeting Consumer Expectations

With increased awareness of animal welfare and environmental issues, the French poultry sector is on track to meet its ambitious targets. A recent survey indicates that a majority of consumers appreciate these advancements, despite uncertainties regarding their willingness to pay the premium for higher welfare products.

Plan Ambition 2025

In 2020, the poultry organization Anvol launched the Plan Ambition 2025, which outlines six key targets aimed at enhancing the sector’s welfare and environmental performance. This initiative was sparked partly by continuous pressure from supermarkets seeking higher standards for poultry products.

Some notable findings include:

• Over 75% of the French population recognizes the ongoing improvements in the poultry industry.
• More than 80% of consumers acknowledge France’s dedication to producing quality chicken, which is also seen as pivotal to maintaining rural landscapes.

Natural Light as a Standard

One of the targets set for 2025 is for at least 50% of poultry to have access to natural light, a goal that has already been surpassed, with 74% currently benefiting from it. For quality labels such as Label Rouge and organic chicken, this figure stands at an impressive 100%.

Poultry producers are increasingly implementing design features like windows and outdoor covered areas to enhance the living conditions of their birds. Heijmans stated, “Many poultry producers have installed windows in the houses or constructed a covered outdoor area for the birds.”

Reducing Antibiotics and Improving Feed

Another significant aim was to reduce antibiotic usage by 60% over a 15-year period starting from 2010; currently, a remarkable 72% reduction has been achieved, with 12% of that reduction occurring in 2021 alone.

Moreover, the poultry sector strives towards zero deforestation by sourcing 95% of feed materials sustainably. The French feed industry has now raised its domestic sourcing to 80%, emphasizing local supply chains.

Challenges Ahead

Despite these advancements, the industry faces one major hurdle: ensuring sufficient supply of conventionally grown chicken to retail outlets. Although many chickens are sold under premium labels like Label Rouge, the price point remains a barrier for many shoppers.

Anvol insists, “A quality chicken Label Rouge is, per kilo, essentially not more expensive than conventional chicken that has been pre-sliced.” However, persuading consumers to make this choice continues to be an uphill battle.