Questions answered

There are 12 questions about “Free range products” in the “What are you doing about...” topic.

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1. You mislead consumers with the wood 'high standards'. The chickens you farm are not to high standards, they are to the lowest. High standards would be free range. Please clearly mark on the product what 'standards' the chickens were kept in, using proper language.
Whilst the chickens McDonald’s uses are indeed broilers, they are all raised under conditions that meet the standards monitored by the Assured Chicken Production regulations. All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own Agricultural Assurance Programme which sets a maximum stocking density of 38 kg/m2. It is a requirement that the flocks are physically inspected several times a day to ensure that the welfare of the chickens is maintained right the way through their life cycle. It is also worth noting that this year McDonald's won the RSPCA Award for their commitment to improving animal welfare in the 'restaurant' category. This demonstrates McDonald’s commitment as a responsible food business to working with producers and welfare experts to provide good welfare conditions. With regards to the Quality Scouts Programme, Quality Scouts are members of the general public from around the UK who are curious about McDonald's business. They are not paid, and have no ties to the company. All they do is take an honest, behind the scenes look at McDonald's and report back, and that's the truth. (December 2009)

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2. In its Scout Reports, the site show the conditions in which the cattle and egg-laying hens live, but not the conditions in which the broiler chickens raised for meat live, something to do with while the latter are not?
Thank you for your question. McDonald’s is not trying to hide anything. The priority for the Quality Scout visits have been to invite them to look behind the scenes at some of the more popular topics, such as the full McDonald’s burger story from ‘field to fork’, the way the restaurants are run and how the Chicken McNuggets are made. However, now these areas have been covered, McDonald’s has been looking at the possibility of inviting the Quality Scouts to go behind-the-scenes at the chicken farms, so please keep checking back on the Make Up Your Own Mind site. In the meantime, rest assured, the company does not condone any abuse of animal welfare, this includes the rearing, feeding, transportation, medication and husbandry of animals. The chickens raised for our meat products are reared in barns which are monitored to the standards set by ACP (Assured Chicken Production).With regards to the farms which are featured on our website they are all genuine producers in the McDonald’s UK supply chain. (Feb 2010)

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3. I have not been to a Mac McDonald's since the 1980's. what percentage of the chickens that you use are Organic Free range? What percentage of the beef that you use comes from Organic Free range beef?
McDonald's business is food and the company is aware that there are some calls from customers for organic items to appear on the menu. McDonald's is very interested in the possibilities of organic foods and has made changes with the recent introduction of organic milk in coffee, tea, porridge and milk bottles. The chickens used for meat in McDonald’s products are called broilers, and are not free-range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards, including the Assured Chicken Production standards. All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own strict protocols. The beef we use is British and Irish and only whole cuts of forequarter and flank go into our 100% beef hamburgers. In 2009, over 16,000 British and Irish beef farmers raised cattle for our beef and all beef we use comes from farms accredited by nationally recognised Farm Assurance Schemes. McDonald’s UK in 2009 also used over 91 million free-range eggs in our breakfast menu. Animal welfare is important to us and of increasing interest to our customers. We have a track record for leadership within our sector - recognised by both the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming – and for investing in research programmes through our support of the Food Animal Initiative. (May 2010)

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4. Good morning, I am writing to ask if all animals raised for McDonalds are free range or cage reared. I would like to know if they are free to roam in fields. Sorry for the question
The chickens used for meat in McDonald’s products are called broilers, and are not free-range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards, such as the Assured Chicken Production standards. All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own strict protocols. The beef we use is British and Irish and only whole cuts of forequarter and flank go into our 100% beef hamburgers. In 2009, over 16,000 British and Irish beef farmers raised cattle for our beef and all beef we use comes from farms accredited by nationally recognised Farm Assurance Schemes. McDonald’s UK in 2009 also used over 91 million free-range eggs in our breakfast menu and we use free range eggs across our entire menu. British organic semi-skimmed milk is also used in all of our teas, coffees, Happy Meal milk bottles and porridge. Additionally only British Pork is used for McDonald’s UK bacon and sausage patties – this is all produced to Assured British Pigs farm assurance standards. Animal welfare is important to us and of increasing interest to some of our customers. We have a track record for leadership within our sector - recognised by both the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming – and for investing in research programmes through our support of the Food Animal Initiative. (May 2010)

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5. What percentage of your milk comes from free range cows?
Thank you for your question. The Dairy Cows are not classified as being 'Free Range'. The majority of Dairy cows are let out of barns during the summer to graze on grass fields. They are then brought back in during the winter because of the cold, wet weather.

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6. Is it not misleading to claim high standards of farming for chickens for broiler chickens? It seems low cost chicken meat comes from packed barns which is quite cruel? How come McDonalds doesn't use free range chicken / eggs? Has free range chicken / eggs been trialled in the UK? Customers would no doubt pay the extra cost for higher animal standards and such would improve McDonald's image.
Thank you for your question. You will be pleased to know that all McDonald's eggs are free range (including the eggs used for the mayonnaise). All the eggs that are supplied to McDonald's are produced by farmers to the Lion Code and Freedom Foods standards. The farms are independently audited by the Lion code and Freedom Foods auditors to ensure that the hens are properly cared for. With regards to chicken, McDonald’s is constantly reviewing the production methods of the poultry used for its chicken based food products. At the moment the market for free range chicken meat production is very small, and the cost therefore prohibitive. But McDonald’s is working closely with research organisations such as the Food Animal Initiative, who are developing alternative production methods for chicken which aim to provide a more welfare-friendly system on a large commercial scale. McDonald's is keen to work to encourage suppliers to keep innovating around welfare improvements. A Scout report on this site can give you more details on the Food Animal Initiative if you are interested. (March 2009)

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7. Are your chickens raised in sheds or are they allowed to roam free?
The chickens used for meat in McDonald’s products are called broilers, and are not free-range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards, monitored by the Assured Chicken Production regulations. The British Poultry Council also sets high standards for chicken welfare, which is monitored through a set of regulations called Assured Chicken Production (ACP). All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own strict protocols. You may be interested to know that McDonald's is constantly monitoring the situation with regard to the use and availability of free-range meat. There are huge differences in the costs of producing free-range chickens, compared with more common farming systems. McDonald's UK has seriously looked at all the current available options, and currently there aren’t enough farms to supply the birds, and there just isn't enough land in the UK for all the chicken houses and fields required. In the meantime, McDonald's, like other responsible food businesses, is concentrating on working with producers and welfare experts to provide and good welfare conditions for the birds that allow them to display their natural behaviour in comfortable surroundings. To this end the company is a co-sponsor of The Food Animal Initiative, which is running a research project looking into the commercial viability of free-range chicken meat production. (October 2009)

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8. We love the big tasty and only really enjoy a McDonalds when its on the menu so do lots of our friends so please please can it become a permanent addition to the menu. Also we love the breakfast menu which if big tasty wasn’t on I would happily have a double sausage and egg Mcmuffin meal for lunch. i can hardly ever get to a mcdonalds before 11.30 couldn’t you stretch it sometimes to all day? please!!!!
Thank you for your question. McDonalds are glad to hear that you enjoy this burger. However The Big Tasty is a promotional item and as such may be forced to make way for a new range every now and again. With regards to McDonald’s UK breakfast menu; McDonald's uses the same grills for both its main menu and the breakfast menu, so it is not possible to have both menus running at the same time. The sausage and beef patties cook at different temperatures and times, and therefore the grill settings need changing and thorough cleaning. This means that breakfast needs to finish at 10.30am so that food can be cooked for the main menu. (October 2009)

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9. Hi, Everyone in our office enjoys McDonalds regularly, & we would all like to know; Are your chickens reared in spacious barns with natural light & pearching places etc (are they approved by the RSPCA)? Thanks! Richard Smith
Thank you for your thoughtful question. The chickens used for meat in McDonald’s products are called broilers, and are not free-range, but they are reared under conditions that meet high standards, monitored by the Assured Chicken Production regulations. The British Poultry Council also sets high standards for chicken welfare, which is monitored through a set of regulations called Assured Chicken Production (ACP). All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own strict protocols. You may be interested to know that McDonald's is constantly monitoring the situation with regard to the use and availability of free-range meat. There are huge differences in the costs of producing free-range chickens, compared with more common farming systems. McDonald's UK has seriously looked at all the current available options, and currently there aren’t enough farms to supply the birds, and there just isn't enough land in the UK for all the chicken houses and fields required. In the meantime, McDonald's, like other responsible food businesses, is concentrating on working with producers and welfare experts to provide good welfare conditions for the birds that allow them to display their natural behaviour in comfortable surroundings. In fact, McDonald's was awarded by the RSPCA for its commitment to animal welfare. To this end the company is a co-sponsor of The Food Animal Initiative, which is running a research project looking into the commercial viability of free-range chicken meat production. (October 2009)

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10. "All animals kept in the best possible conditions." If that is the case then broiler chickens would be free range full stop. The ACP standard is laughable as an animals best welfare is free range regardless of cost. Your so called scouts are mcdonalds puppets who seem to have not even a slight criticism of the animals welfare. It is hyprocritical to trumpet free range eggs but still have broiler chickens which regardless of what you say live in cramped conditions.
Whilst the chickens McDonald’s uses are indeed broilers, they are all raised under conditions that meet high standards monitored by the Assured Chicken Production regulations. The British Poultry Council also sets high standards for chicken welfare, which is monitored through a set of regulations called Assured Chicken Production (ACP). All suppliers that work with McDonald's must adhere to these standards and procedures as well as McDonald's own Agricultural Assurance Programme which sets a maximum stocking density of 38 kg/m2. It is a requirement that the flocks are physically inspected several times a day to ensure that the welfare of the chickens is maintained right the way through their life cycle. It is worth noting that this year McDonald's won the RSPCA Award for their commitment to improving animal welfare in the 'restaurant' category. This demonstrates McDonald’s commitment as a responsible food business to working with producers and welfare experts to provide good welfare conditions for the birds that allow them to display their natural behaviour in comfortable surroundings. The company is very aware that some customers would like to see more free range items appear on the menu. However, at the moment, free-range suppliers are relatively small specialist markets which can’t presently supply the large quantities that McDonald’s UK would require. With regards to the Quality Scouts Programme, Quality Scouts are members of the general public from around the UK who are curious about McDonald's business. They are not paid, and have no ties to the company. All they do is take an honest, behind the scenes look at McDonald's and report back, and that's the truth. (September 2009)

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11. What farms do the chickens come from to make all the chicken based food?
Thank you for your question. The chicken meat used by McDonald’s UK (which is only breast meat) is sourced from Brazil, Thailand, Europe and the UK. The nationally recognised Farm Assurance Scheme – Assured Chicken Production (ACP), accredits all chicken farmers who supply McDonald’s chicken. They rear the chickens in barns, which are monitored to the standards set by the ACP. (September 2009)

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12. is the meat in (chicken nuggets, burgers and so on) free range/ from free range farms
Thank you for your question. Currently McDonald's uses free-range eggs and organic milk, but at this point in time does not use free-range meat. The company is very aware that some customers would like to see more free range and organic items appear on the menu. However, at the moment, free range and organic suppliers are relatively small specialist markets which can’t presently supply the large quantities that McDonald’s UK would require. You may be interested to know that McDonald's is constantly monitoring the situation with regard to the use and availability of free-range meat and is making every effort to look at commercially viable volumes of free-range meat through the Food Animal Initiative, which it co-sponsors. (May 2009)

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