Chris Packham has joined protests against Pret a Manger after the business delayed its commitment to phase out the use of fast-growing so-called ‘frankenchickens’.
The naturalist and TV presenter led protesters in slamming Pret’s failure to adopt slower-growing breeds last week and vowed he would “not be setting foot in one of their cafés until they produce a real, credible plan” to stop using them.
He was also pictured with a four-metre-long animatronic ‘frankenwrap’ which has attracted over 10 million social media views after touring Pret cafés in London.
It forms part of animal welfare organisation Anima’s £1m campaign against Pret after the business pushed back its pledge to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC) to stop using fast-growing chicken breeds from 2026 to 2032 in April.
Pret had met every BCC commitment, other than adopting slower-growing breeds, and had laid out a roadmap to achieve it. It said the activists were “sending a signal that businesses that do the right thing will be criticised more than those who give up on higher-welfare chicken”.
Packham has since dismissed Pret’s commitment as “empty”.
“It was bad enough when KFC, Nando’s and Burger King withdrew their commitments to stop selling frankenchickens,” he said. “But what Pret are doing is equally insidious.
“They’re pretending to be committed to ending their use of frankenchickens whilst doing nothing about it,” Packham continued. “I’m not falling for it. When a company is committed to making a change for animals, they don’t wait 14 years to do it.”
Earlier this year, eight businesses, owning or franchising 18 leading hospitality brands, withdrew from the BCC in favour of the Sustainable Chicken Forum (SCF). Whilst the BCC requires its signees to adopt slower-growing breeds, the SCF has asserted their wholesale adoption would lead to a collapse in chicken production and drive up greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite the criticism, Pret said it was still committed to the BCC and was involved in other industry initiatives to increase welfare standards. It also said its revised target was developed in partnership with Compassion in World Farming (the organisation behind the BCC) and The Lever Foundation.
“We are disappointed that this campaign group has chosen to target one of the few businesses that remains signed up to the BCC,” Pret said. “We already meet five out of the six of those standards and have set a clear roadmap for the remaining one.
“It is unclear to us why activists are spending such significant funds targeting a business trying to do the right thing rather than focusing on those who have abandoned higher-welfare reform entirely.”
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