Nando’s has been accused of using chickens from intensive farms which are allegedly living in such poor conditions they are growing agonising bone and organ deformities.
Undercover footage, released by World Animal Protection, shows harrowing scenes of thousands of chickens cramped in small areas and struggling to walk in three separate farms.
World Animal Protection workers say they witnessed the birds being killed because they were too sick, by being swung by their necks.
Heartbreaking videos show lifeless chicks’ bodies being dumped into buckets and bins.
The animal welfare organisation claims the farms are rearing fast-growing breeds of chickens, which can develop a range of disorders, and has called on the restaurant to improve animal welfare on their supply chain.
Footage also shows birds with their legs splayed beneath their bodies – a typical sign of skeletal and joint disorders called dyschondroplasia, added the organisation.
WARNING: Distressing images.
Others had a ‘kinky back’, or spondylolisthesis, where the backbone is severely damaged and can causes paralysis, it added.
A Nando’s spokesperson told Metro.co.uk it was ‘extremely shocked’ by the footage and has launched a full investigation with the supplier ‘to ensure this doesn’t happen again’.
Workers from the farms, which we have not named to protect the employees’ identities, reveal in the undercover video that they supply chickens to Nando’s.
One employee, while referring to 10,000 birds which have apparently left the farm, says: ‘They are likely to go to Nando’s.
‘So they usually take this size chicken. Don’t know if you’ve been there [Nando’s] before but they have like whole chicken, and sort of smaller, so they’ll take these ones’.
At a separate farm, when a worker is asked if a group of small chickens were going to Nando’s, he responded: ‘Yes’.
He says: ‘It’s a thing because obviously Nando’s likes the smaller chickens, so I think pretty much all of them will go to Nando’s’.
The restaurant chain is part of the production and food standards scheme, the Red Tractor, which carries out thorough investigations to ensure all meet the standards.
Red Tractor also requires that euthanasia is carried out using methods approved by the Humane Slaughter Association.
Based on the footage, the World Animal Protection says the farms are in breach of UK legislation and Red Tractor standards.
The organisation claims it attempted to meet with Nando’s bosses but they refused.
In response, it has launched a petition calling on the restaurant ‘to stop using fast-growing chickens from these types of farms’.
Ian Woodhurst, UK farming campaigns manager at World Animal Protection, said although the footage is ‘extremely uncomfortable to watch’ he hopes it will encourage the public to support their cause.
He said: ‘This distressing footage showcases the harrowing conditions that fast-growing chickens endure on farms which supply Nando’s restaurants.
‘This is hard to watch and our research shows that Nando’s customers expect better from the chain.
‘We’ve asked to meet Nando’s to discuss the footage but they have refused, so we now feel it’s important for Nando’s customers to see the truth about the chickens it uses.’
‘If not, Nando’s chickens will continue to suffer from catastrophic health issues and live their short lives in unnecessary pain,’ he added.
When is the next EuroMillions draw and when is the deadline to buy a ticket?
Research by the organisation shows that over a third (38 per cent) of Nando’s customers believe the chain has the highest chicken welfare policies, in comparison to other restaurant and fast food brands.
A Nando’s spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘We take animal welfare very seriously, knowing it’s as important to our customers as it is to us.
‘We are extremely shocked by this footage and have started a full investigation with the supplier to find out what happened and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.’
