to ask MEAT EATERS if you buy free range or standard chicken?

[Granllanog]

I got attacked on my last thread for saying I buy standard supermarket chicken. Considering only 4% of all of the chicken produced in the UK is free-range and only 1% is organic I don't think I am unusual in doing this?

YABU = I'm a meat eater and only ever eat/buy free-range chicken.
YANBU = I buy standard chicken.

Very much only free range or organic here
Actively avoid chicken in restaurants and takeaways unless it’s labelled free range - I’d rather have a veggie option

I wouldn’t refuse to eat it at a friends house, and let DC have the occasional Nandos but my mind boggles that someone would avoid battery farmed eggs but then eat chicken from birds raised in similar conditions

Whatever's cheapest usually. Though I've stopped buying Morrison's cheapo-chicken because the texture changed, the breasts I used to buy started becoming "harder" (for want of a better term).

Organic and free-range are just terms to make wealthier people pay more, they don't actually make a difference in welfare standards. And frankly, who cares? They're just chickens!

Standard

I only buy chicken at Xmas. I get a duchy organic free range one.

Only free range meat, and try to buy British only where we can (shop for meat at our local butchers so it is all local to us) but occasionally if we get something like a Charlie Bighams meal I think that won't be.

Free range nearly all the time, though if we nip to the coop or similar to get a small shop and there’s only “standard” and no other alternative, I’ll usually get that instead.

Not so bothered about organic but its free range or nothing for me. Not such a problem at home but it does mean I cant really order chicken in restaurants any more.

I probably would rather not eat meat but I like it so best I can do is only to eat meat where the animal has been treated decently.

@HarrietsChariot

"Organic and free-range are just terms to make wealthier people pay more, they don't actually make a difference in welfare standards"

But free range is a huge difference in welfare standards isn't it? Isn't it the difference between being caged all the time and being able to roam about in barns / fields?

I only ever buy organic freerange meat now, as I can afford it. I was less picky when I was poorer, and I don't judge people on a budget who buy what they can afford.

I'm partly concerned about the welfare of the animals I'm consuming (their welfare prior to their consumption, obviously. I'm sure a vegan will be along to point out my hypocrisy in a minute.) but I'm also concerned about the effects of intensive farming on the quality of the meat - I don't want to eat eggs from a chicken that's lost all its feathers due to stress, or bacon from a pig hopped up on antibiotics.

But obviously most of the time people don’t buy free range - it’s clear from what’s on the shelves. I’d also add that it’s easy for me to buy free range etc as we’re relatively well off and rarely worry about food costs at all. So I’m not preaching to anyone else. I’d like to think I’d “eat less meat, but better quality” if I didn’t have to worry about food costs, but I am fortunate and have not been in that position myself, so I don’t truly know.

@HarrietsChariot

Whatever's cheapest usually. Though I've stopped buying Morrison's cheapo-chicken because the texture changed, the breasts I used to buy started becoming "harder" (for want of a better term).

Organic and free-range are just terms to make wealthier people pay more, they don't actually make a difference in welfare standards. And frankly, who cares? They're just chickens!

How do you mean? There are different rules for free range and not. Do you think they don’t stick to them?

@HarrietsChariot

Oh, wow.

I buy mostly standard and sometimes free range.
Cost has got to be the main factor here. So for most people that doesn’t mean free range meat.

Always free range. Would do with out otherwise

If we eat meat, it's the best quality we can find. Meat should be eaten sparingly. For me it's always local, organic and if it's chicken it must be free range, typically much smaller than your supermarket chickens, not pumped full of crap.

I feel it needs to be said that if you simply can't afford to do that, then you just can't. We don't spend a ton on food, were not wealthy, but I'd rather eat plant based 4 times a week and then enjoy a nicer meal with meat.

@HarrietsChariot

Whatever's cheapest usually. Though I've stopped buying Morrison's cheapo-chicken because the texture changed, the breasts I used to buy started becoming "harder" (for want of a better term).

Organic and free-range are just terms to make wealthier people pay more, they don't actually make a difference in welfare standards. And frankly, who cares? They're just chickens!

Organic does make a difference to welfare standards...

I buy organic chicken from an organic farm shop local to me. I buy pretty much all our meat and veg there.

I use gousto; not sure where they source their chicken

If I’m buying it for a particular meal then I use the butcher because it tastes so much better

@Granllanog you've inspired me to do another thread along these lines! Stand by!

The truth is though that most people dont give a shit about an animal's journey from birth to fork as long as they dont have to witness any of it or think about it.

I haven't eaten chicken in a very long time but as far as I know "free range" doesn't mean they're not those freakish frankenbirds that grow so fast they struggle to walk and breathe. Not much use having access to outdoors if they're so heavy their legs can't support their weight.

@HangingOver depends where you get it from. Most suppliers you can check.

I buy all my meat from a local farm shop.

I know lucky I can afford it though as it does cost a bit more (although can use smaller portions of it)