Looking after our brood
At M&S, all our fresh chicken is Oakham chicken. This slower growing breed, exclusive to us, comes from dedicated UK farms that we know and trust. So we can guarantee that every bird is reared in a way that meets our own high standards for animal welfare.
Everyone’s talking about chickens at the moment. Recent media coverage has highlighted what organisations such as the RSPCA have been concerned about for some time: that chickens are being reared and sold as commodities, with little concern shown for their welfare.
At M&S, all our fresh chicken is Oakham chicken. This slower growing breed, exclusive to us, comes from dedicated UK farms that we know and trust. So we can guarantee that every bird is reared in a way that meets our own standards for animal welfare.
We insist that the birds are slower grown and have a maximum stocking density of 30kg per square metre. The birds are housed on straw or wood shavings and have constant access to food and water.
To encourage bird movement, we use straw bales inside their barns, which the birds can then roost and perch on, as well as pulling and pecking at the straw.
Our chickens’ diet is a non-GM, predominantly cereal based feed that encourages slower growth (we long ago banned the use of antibiotics in feed rations for growth promotion – ahead of the EU’s ban).
Our free range chickens have constant daytime access to the range and our farmers encourage them to use these areas by building wigwams made from conifer branches for shade and shelter.
We also offer organic chicken, which comes from two dedicated UK suppliers who conform to the Organic Farmers and Growers standards.
Our commitment to animal welfare was recognised recently by Compassion in World Farming, who named us Compassionate Supermarket for 2008.
So next time you buy a chicken from us, you can enjoy it with complete peace of mind.
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M&S Café triple certification coffee
When you order a cup of coffee in our café it will be freshly made from scratch. Every M&S Barista is expertly trained to make perfect shots and frothy milk with every cup. You'll also find little extras like our coffee loyalty card
