Shoppers urged to check raw chicken legs in supermarket for one sign before buying

Shoppers urged to check raw chicken legs in supermarket for one sign before buying Supermarket customers have been urged to check raw chicken products for one small sign which could indicate the birds have experienced a poor level of animal welfare Supermarket shoppers have been urged to check fresh chicken products for a particular skin defect caused by a horrifying welfare issue. The concern was first raised in 2024, but it seems it's still prevailing two years on as one man highlighted in a food warehouse. "Next time you buy a chicken, flip over the legs and take a look," Novo News began in a video, holding aloft a packet of raw chicken drumsticks. He then pointed to one particular piece of chicken and acknowledged a series of brown marks, close to the ankle joint. "This chicken has hock burns," he explained. "Now these are caused by the interaction of ammonia with the skin - so they burn the chicken legs and leave burn marks." Novo went on to advise that such burns can stem from overcrowding. "You have broiler chickens, which are chickens that can grow to several times' their normal body weight and as a result they're in cramped conditions, wet, and their own waste mixes with their skin and that causes burns," he said. Novo went on cite a 2024 BBC investigation in which several supermarkets were found to sell chickens with such burn marks. It prompted Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, to respond at the time: "Our members take their responsibilities to animal welfare very seriously, and expect high standards, independently audited, from all of their suppliers. They are committed to continuously improving the quality and welfare standards of their ranges." Novo continued: "This is affecting a third of supermarket chickens - there's millions of chickens and some of the highest rates are found in places like Co-op and Lidl, which according to some independent fact or spot checks we're talking about 70 per cent plus rates." Writing in response, one TikTok user declared: "This is why I just can’t eat meat." A second concurred: "That’s literally why I stopped eating chicken 8 years ago." A third person advised: "You gotta know your middle man and where they get the produce from. Supermarkets aren't good with telling you what happens to the food before you purchase it." While a TikTok user suggested: "You can only avoid this by buying organic free range. Majority of chicken is intensively farmed and this isn’t the most serious issue either. I have cut chicken for takeaways and restaurants for over a decade." A Co-op spokesperson said: "Animal welfare is extremely important to us, and we work with our suppliers to ensure the animals in our supply chain are looked after. "All Co-op Chicken is 100% British, meets Red tractor standards and is bred at a lower stocking density which has a significant positive impact on the reduction of hock markings alongside general health and welfare improvements." While a statement from Lidl GB read: "We fully support the goals of improving animal welfare standards in poultry farming and work in close partnership with our suppliers to ensure these are upheld. As part of our commitment to flock health, we closely monitor welfare indicators - including hock health - and our suppliers are currently outperforming accepted industry benchmarks. "In the UK, all fresh chicken supplied to Lidl GB complies with nationally recognised third-party standards, including Red Tractor and RSPCA Assured. Additionally, Lidl GB’s free-range RSPCA Assured chicken meets and exceeds the requirements of the Better Chicken Commitment."