A protest is scheduled for the Morrisons store in Fishponds this weekend, with protesters from animal charities behind the #morrisonsmisery campaign.
Campaigners dressed in Morrisons butcher outfits will descend on the retailer's store in Fishponds demanding the removal of 'Frankenchickens' from its shelves. Said to be a silent protest, there are plans to "reveal shocking images from the supermarket's chicken farms with placards and information for customers".
This protest will coincide with Morrisons-targeted demonstrations in more than 20 towns and cities across the country. Morrisons has previously defended its record on animal welfare.
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Campaigners will be representing animal charities behind the #morrisonsmisery campaign, including Open Cages and The Humane League UK. The protests come eight months after Open Cages reportedly revealed footage of fast-growing chickens they describe as "deformed and dying on crowded farms supplying Morrisons' welfare assured 'Butcher's on Market Street' meat label".
Campaigners have dubbed these chickens 'Frankenchickens' and say that the animals have been bred to grow 400% faster than is "natural".
Open Cages says: "Morrisons continues to sell the controversial breeds, despite hundreds of companies such as M&S, KFC and Subway pledging to phase them out. Morrisons recently launched a small range of higher welfare chicken in response to the campaign, but this move is being condemned by campaigners as a “cheap gesture” whilst the vast majority of the retailer's chickens remain in "cruel" conditions."
A Morrisons spokesperson said: "We care deeply about animal welfare. All our regular chicken is raised to above Red Tractor standards; we are also the only retailer in Europe to ask our fresh chicken suppliers to require chicken to be born into the barn in which it will be raised by 2025.
"80 per cent of our fresh chicken meets this standard already. We also actively monitor for any malpractice in our supply chain; we will never tolerate it or look the other way and if we ever find it, we will act swiftly and decisively."
The protest is planned for between 12-1pm on Saturday, April 30.
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