Tesco shareholders vote against Hugh June 27th, 2008
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall secured just under 10% of the votes from Tesco shareholders at the company’s AGM in a propsal to improve the welfare standards for chickens.
Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall has long campaigned against the major supermarkets stocking badly treated, intensely reared chickens and recommended that they promote free-range birds that have led a better, healthier life.
Whilst Tesco shareholders have not supported the proposals, the move has kept the topic in the press and raises awareness amongst consumers, which can only be a good thing. More of us now appreciate the difference in treatment between a battery farmed and free ranged bird, and we can now make an informed choice when buying chicken.
Whilst few can argue with the principle of purchasing a free range bird, the stumbling block remains the higher price you pay for backing these principles. With increasing food and energy costs, it will be some time before we see the end of battery farmed chicken.
