Tesco has today defeated a proposal by TV cook Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to improve the welfare standards for chickens.
Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall attended Tesco's annual general meeting on Friday where he asked shareholders for help in improving the current standards for chickens reared for eating.
In the end though, only ten per cent backed the chef, with the majority supporting the supermarket's current stance.
Campaigners claim that the current conditions at some rearing farms are appalling and need to be urgently improved.
Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket chain, was criticised earlier this year when it cut the price for a standard whole chicken to just £1.99.
The supermarket counters the criticism by saying its chickens are raised on farms with high standards.
During his TV shows, Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall has continually drawn attention to the conditions in which chickens are kept in intensive battery farms.
At the vote on Friday, the chef hoped to convince shareholders to support the motion which would make Tesco adopt better minimum standards for chickens.
27/06/2008 12:26:51
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