Hen

Understanding our WELFARE LABELLING

At Waitrose we are proud to announce a groundbreaking leap in animal welfare: from April 2025, we begin the process of adding clear and unambiguous welfare labels to our fresh meat, beginning with all our fresh and frozen chicken. We’re the first UK supermarket to introduce welfare labelling, allowing our customers to easily see the higher welfare standards their chicken has been reared to.

All our fresh chicken meets Better Chicken Commitment standards, or higher. This means we only source from farms that raise a slower-growing breed, with more space to peck, roost and roam.

Adding to this commitment, we have introduced a unique tiered welfare rating system on our chicken packaging, helping customers make more informed choices and offering unparalleled transparency. Just another step we have taken to ensure customers can connect their values with the exceptional taste on their plates.

Welfare RATINGS explained

The system rates chicken products into five distinct tiers: 

Hen

A+ Organic

Birds with access to large outdoor ranges, fed an organic diet and with smaller flock sizes.

A Free Range

As well as living in safe, comfortable housing, birds have access to the outdoors for at least eight hours a day.

B Better Chicken Commitment

From slower-growing breeds, birds have more space to behave naturally, with natural daylight and environmental enrichment.

C More Space Indoor

Birds live in safe, comfortable housing with natural daylight, bales, perches and pecking objects.

D Standard Indoor

Birds are reared to the UK’s legal housing requirements. Not available at Waitrose.

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egg-laying hens

Free range egg-laying hens

Our hens are all free range – and have been since 2008 – and looked after by farmers we know and trust.

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egg-laying hens

How our pigs live

All our piglets are born outside and raised in the fresh air, and breeding sows live outdoors for their entire lives.

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egg-laying hens

Giving back since 2005

The Waitrose Foundation supports the people who grow, pick and pack our fresh produce.

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