Rising feed prices mean chicken could soon cost as much as beef, says Co-op

Consumers have already been warned supermarket prices for meat should increase to reflect real cost of production. Photograph: incamerastock/Alamy

Chicken’s relative affordability has helped make it the country’s meat of choice but one of the UK’s biggest food retailers has warned it could soon be as pricey as beef as production costs soar.

Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-op, said that feed costs had become a huge challenge for the poultry industry. “Chicken could become as expensive as beef. Chicken, which was incredibly cheap and great value for money, is rising quicker than any other protein.”