Published 23/04/2008

Pressure is mounting on Tesco as demonstrators up and down the country are calling on the UK's largest supermarket to "Stop being rotten to chickens".

Campaigners for Compassion in World Farming have been demonstrating outside Tesco stores in Portsmouth, Axminster, Langport, Cardiff, Sheffield and Birmingham with more scheduled to take place in the coming months.

At events up and down the country, campaigners are handing out our Compassionate Shopping Guides and talking to shoppers about their choice of eggs and chicken. By raising awareness with Tesco shoppers their choices in-store will make a difference.

A lobbying letter is also being handed to store managers reminding them that intensive farming causes animal suffering and urging them to listen to consumer demand and to take the lives of millions of chickens seriously.

Despite increased public support for free-range farming and scientific evidence that battery cages cause serious suffering Tesco continues to make no commitment to improve the lives of millions of chickens.

Tesco competitors, Sainsbury's and the Co-op, are already taking the welfare of chickens seriously by pledging to improve their standards for chicken and stop selling eggs from caged hens. Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket is still refusing to budge.

Shoppers have welcomed our events which began on 18 March, with many enthusiastic to tell us they only ever buy free-range eggs and they look forward to using our shopping guide in store. In Somerset one store manger was so sympathetic with this issue that he said he would do all he could to help and even made demonstrators cups of tea!

Regional radio stations have covered the events throughout the day on their news bulletins. Combined with further coverage in regional papers, the media interest is taking the issue of chicken welfare to thousands more shoppers.

Please visit our campaign pages to take action for Tesco chickens and find out how to get involved at a store near you:

Take action for Tesco chickens

These demonstrations which call on Tesco to strengthen their policies on farm animal welfare will continue until the company agrees to improve the lives of millions of chickens...