New RSPCA Certified requirements set higher bar for chicken welfare as Australians reject current industry practices

Australian Alliance for Animals

A new set of higher welfare standards just released by the RSPCA will, for the first time in Australia, provide a certification pathway for chicken meat producers to meet the globally recognised Better Chicken Commitment.

By limiting genetic selection for rapid growth, prohibiting live shackling, increasing space and enrichment, and ensuring access to natural light, the new top-tier standard has the potential to improve the welfare of hundreds of millions of chickens farmed for meat in Australia each year.

Alliance Strategy Director, Dr Bidda Jones said: “Fast-growing breeds which suffer high rates of pain, injury and illness, birds crowded together unable to move freely, and live shackling prior to slaughter are prevalent throughout the Australian chicken industry, including in current RSPCA Certified supply chains.

“While the base RSPCA Standard will still allow these practices, the release of higher welfare requirements offers a practical pathway for chicken farming practices to match current science and community expectations for animal welfare.“

Research commissioned by the Australian Alliance for Animals in February 2026 reveals that seven out of ten Australians find the current way chickens are bred, farmed and slaughtered is unacceptable, paving the way for the uptake of a new, higher welfare standard from the RSPCA’s certification scheme.

The independent nationally representative survey covered three key aspects of meat chicken farming, finding:

• 78% of Australians think selectively breeding chickens to reach market weight size in 35 days, leading to difficulties with walking and standing is unacceptable
• 83% think that keeping tens of thousands of chickens inside sheds at high stocking densities with no access to daylight is unacceptable
• 74% think that suspending chickens upside-down by their legs before stunning them in an electrified bath is unacceptable

“These results demonstrate that, despite the wide uptake of certification labels, the chicken industry is failing to meet public expectations for animal welfare”, said Dr Jones.

“The good news is that there is an alternative. The Better Chicken Commitment requires higher welfare, slower growing chicken breeds, more space and natural light inside chicken sheds, and more humane and reliable slaughter methods.

Better Chicken Commitment Campaigner April Broadbent said, “With over 640 commitments from food businesses to date across the world, there is a clear trend away from fast-growing chicken breeds and towards the Better Chicken Commitment as the baseline for animal welfare.

“Australians are horrified by current industry practices and want higher animal welfare standards. The RSPCA’s new higher level is the only certification standard that addresses the significant welfare problems associated with selecting chickens for extreme growth, a key step towards meeting consumer expectations for chicken welfare.

“Food businesses that claim to be leaders in animal welfare now have a clear pathway to adopting the Better Chicken Commitment - if they don’t take up this opportunity, their customers will be asking why.”

BACKGROUND 

• Over 97% of Australian meat chicken production is RSPCA Certified and all large-scale production uses fast-growing breeds.
• RSPCA Australia’s updated Meat Chicken Standard which includes an “enhanced welfare” level is available here: https://rspca.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/public/Uploads/standards/RSPCA-Australia-Standard-Meat-Chickens-July-2026-FINAL.pdf
• The Australian Alliance for Animals is one of 15 leading animal welfare organisations that backs the Aus-NZ Better Chicken Commitment, a global animal welfare initiative targeted at the biggest causes of suffering in chickens raised for meat. More information is available on the Better Chicken Australia website: https://www.betterchicken.org.au
• Globally, there are over 640 commitments from businesses to the Better Chicken Commitment. In Australia, the Better Chicken Commitment has already been signed by Domino’s, Open Farm, and Marley Spoon. Food businesses can sign up to the Better Chicken Commitment by contacting Better Chicken Australia: https://www.betterchicken.org.au/contact
• The online Qualtrics survey of 1,000 Australian adults, representative of the broader Australian population by age, gender, state or territory, and location (metro vs. regional), was conducted in January-February 2026. 

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Dr Bidda Jones and April Broadbent are available for interviews.

Dr Bidda Jones AM is Co-founder and Director of Strategy at the Alliance for Animals. She has over 30 years of experience in animal welfare science and advocacy including 25 years leading the RSPCA Australia Science and Policy team. She is an Honorary Associate at the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2021.

April Broadbent is the Campaigner for the Better Chicken Commitment. April has a professional background in environment and electoral campaigning and communications, as well as experience in animal rescue, including managing an animal shelter. She holds a lifelong interest in bird welfare.

The Australian Alliance for Animals is a national charity leading a strategic alliance of Australia’s key animal protection organisations with a combined supporter base of over 2 million people. Core members include Animals Australia, Humane World for Animals Australia, World Animal Protection Australia, Compassion in World Farming, FOUR PAWS Australia, and Voiceless, the animal protection institute. Website: www.allianceforanimals.org.au