Your reputation is not exactly the best. Discounters such as Aldi and Lidl are often in the criticism. Not only farmers and animal rights activists, and politicians make for a whole range of grievances is responsible. For example, for bad conditions in pet price pressure on many farmers and food producers are stables or the relentless. There does not seem to be surprised that now, of all places, Aldi puts a character to defuse the precarious conditions in many Poultry houses, at least in part.
This push is likely to be quite serious. What is evident from the fact that the otherwise separately operating groups of companies, Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord, acting together. The declared aim is, at least, the worst Form of broiler chicken breeding to finish until 2026 to. For this, you are a part of a European Initiative, which was launched from close to 30 European animal protection organizations, including Provieh, Greenpeace and the Albert-Schweitzer-Stiftung.
That sounds good, maybe too good. What is announced in these days with great Exuberance, could be, in retrospect, as a marketing gag. The more important the project is to critically question.
Because actually, it is a matter of policy, to create requirements, a pet-friendly environment in the stables. A task that the Federal government has failed for years. To rules instead of clear, also the Federal Minister of agriculture, Julia Klöckner (CDU) as their predecessors on voluntary self-obligations of producers and distributors. The best example of this dilatory Action by the since the years – long fight for a national animal would probably be indicator-the consumer is an important aid to decision-making. Who spends more money on meat from better animal husbandry, wants reliable information is still missing on the packaging often.
In fact, retailers and food producers have shown in the past few years, self-initiative, to reduce plastic waste or to reduce the amount of Sugar in food and the consequences entirely with Part. But the good will alone is not enough.
With a lot of advance the Initiative, the animal started to laurels a few years ago probably, a voluntary Association of agriculture, meat industry and retailers such as Aldi, Edeka, Lidl, Rewe and others. To date, the 4-levels-model for the label for various types of production and is not set really, also because it is in Parts non-transparent and difficult to understand. And then there are the customers, it doesn’t matter how animals are kept, the main thing is the price is right.
The whole livestock needs to be reformed
The state failed voluntary initiatives, such as, for chickens for Fattening can be an important signal of. Show consumers that their concerns are perceived. All of these are undoubtedly important steps on the way to better animal husbandry, the non-dealer only forward, but also large poultry farmers, such as the PHW group (Wiesenhof). There, animal welfare concepts are since years again and again, tested and implemented again and again with the experience that only a few consumers are willing to pay for happier hens to spend more money.
The policy need to understand voluntary initiatives as a Signal of the company is that they are ready to better housing conditions to implement and enforce. Now the state is on the train. Eggs from caged hens would probably never disappeared from the store shelves, had the legislature not to a clear legal regime and a binding, easily understandable labelling through a struggle. Animal husbandry in Germany urgently needs to be reformed, because they are burdened in their current Form, the producer, the environment and ultimately the whole of society. This affects not only poultry, but pigs, cattle and other animal species. For trade as well as animal keepers and food producers generally applicable rules, but also create fairer conditions of competition. Also this can significantly help in the process of grievances, to eliminate in the stables.
Sure, Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord have explored with your commitment for a better poultry far, and in the best case, other retailers will follow suit. Animal rights activists as well as consumer advocates are now closely watching whether the company redeems its promise. What counts in the end is the result.