Albert Heijn to only sell free-range chicken from 2023

Albert Heijn announced that it will only sell free-range chicken with a Beter Leven quality mark from 2023. Animal rights organization Wakker Dier is delighted by this announcement, calling it "fantastic news", ANP reports.

Chickens that get the Beter Leven quality mark live longer and grow more slowly than their battery farm counterparts. There is more attention for their health and well being and they are allowed more space and time outside.

"We are incredibly happy with this step by Albert Heijn for animal welfare," Wakker Dier said in a response. In 2019 the animal rights organization still gave Albert Heijn the 'liar liar award" for claiming the chickens it sells have "more space" while they lived 16 chickens per square meter without daylight.

According to the organization, by going free-range only, Albert Heijn is improving the lives of 35 million chickens per year.

Albert Heijn also announced that it made agreements with 200 regular suppliers about producing more sustainably. The intention is that from 2025 they will generate their own sustainable energy. The supermarket chain also expects poultry farms to reduce their particulate matter and ammonia emissions by half in the long term.