HUGH’S CHICKEN RUN has ruffled feathers in its attempt to persuade viewers to buy free range. But the consensus in Guernsey was that TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall highlighting the poor treatment of some livestock before it reaches supermarket shelves was a good idea.
However, pricing of better-treated birds remains a cause for concern, according to two food shops.
Forest Stores butchery manager Jason Hamon said that although free -range chicken was the way forward, some people might not be in a position to afford it.
‘We sell about 40% free-range products and between 10 and 15% organic, so the regular chicken is still a big seller,’ he said.
‘If a customer asked for my opinion, I would always tell them that free range is the best choice and is of highest quality, but some people find it difficult to afford.’
Mr Hamon said the welfare of chickens was close to his heart.
‘I will eat only free-range chicken and we pride ourselves on promoting it, but not many other butcheries promote it like we do, which is a shame.’
Channel Islands Co-operative Society head of sales and marketing Jim Plumley said not everyone had the luxury of choice.
‘There are people who are less fortunate than others and are concerned about the price of free range chickens,’ he said.
‘People who are perhaps more fortunate will have a better choice.
‘Demand for free range products is increasing all the time and has been a natural progression over the last five or six years, but it does depend on people’s philosophy and circumstances.’
The store follows strict policies on animal welfare, which director of food retail marketing Debbie Robinson said it did religiously.
‘The Co-op is committed to providing welfare-friendly British chicken and all its fresh, own-label, whole birds are raised to its own high-welfare, Elmwood standard.’
She said the standard would incorporate all fresh chicken by March.
‘We carefully selected a small group of dedicated British farmers to embrace the higher Elmwood standard and have been working closely with them to enable us to convert more farms to the standard.
‘The Elmwood chickens live in a more natural environment which allows them to thrive, with more space to move around, perch and rest in, lots of natural daylight and a vegetarian, high-cereal diet.’
Article posted on 10th January, 2008 - 12.00am
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