‘Tis the season to be jolly ... and in 2009 we’ve had lots to be jolly about.

Following pressure from Chicken Out! supporters and other animal welfare groups, Defra has just announced that it will not be increasing the maximum permitted stocking density for broiler chickens, despite industry pressure. Thank you to everyone who sent an e-card to the Minister.

Our parliamentary motion calling for higher welfare standards and more honest labelling on chicken meat came 5th out of 2,400 motions, attracting the support of over 40% of MPs. Thank you to everyone who asked their local MP to sign up.

Our 39 Days campaign saw thousands more people join us and make a commitment to ditch cruelly-produced chicken. Coverage in the local and national media got the message out to even more. Thank you to everyone who came along to support us as we took the tour across the UK.

Sales of free-range chicken and eggs continue to rise according to recent data, and are expected to occupy an increasing proportion of the market.  Sainsbury’s, the UK’s third-largest supermarket, went cage-free on its eggs a year earlier than promised. Thank you to everyone who downloaded a copy of our consumer guide to help their friends shop more compassionately.

Chicken Out! now has over 167,000 supporters who are committed to a free-range future for chickens. Thank you to everyone who persuaded their friends, family and colleagues to sign up. Let’s see if we can double this number in 2010!

Thank you for your generosity

This year, we’ve raised over £19,000 for Chicken Out!  A huge thank you to everyone who has made a donation to the campaign: we receive no government funding so it’s only with your support that we can keep up our work to spare millions of chickens a life of suffering.

We have ambitious plans for the campaign in 2010. You’ve told us that you think that between them, consumers and retailers have the biggest responsibility for bringing about a free-range future. So next year, we want to focus on getting the message out to more and more shoppers that free-range is fairer. We want to ensure that supermarkets introduce more honest labeling and promote higher-welfare chicken. And that more retailers and restaurants introduce minimum standards that will see the market for cruelly farmed meat dwindle.

If you haven’t already, please consider making a donation – however small – to help us to achieve even more for chickens in 2010.

That just leaves the last word to Hugh…

“The Chicken Out! campaign has achieved a great deal over the last year and we’re making great progress towards a free-range future for chickens.  We couldn’t have done this without people like you, so thank you. We’re counting on your support in the coming year to keep the momentum going, so please continue to take action, spread the word and vote with your shopping trolley to give more chickens a better life. Have a happy – and compassionate – Christmas.”

All the very best for Christmas and the New Year.

Rosie, Siân, Hayley and Caroline On behalf of The Chicken Out! Team Compassion in World Farming

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