A record breaking 40 million chickens reared for meat are being raised to higher standards of welfare as a result of the RSPCA’s Freedom Food Scheme.

The scheme has seen a 43% increase since last year proving it’s having a big impact on the British diet, claims the RSPCA.

The news comes as Morrisons launches its first ever Freedom Food labelled free range chicken. It’s the latest addition to the retailer’s ‘Freedom Food’ chicken category that already includes Corn-Fed and Wye Valley chicken.

Seven Tait, Freedom Food’s head of sales and marketing, said: “The growth of Freedom Food chicken has been fantastic. Freedom Food has clearly secured prominence both on the supermarket shelf and in the mind of the consumer.

“We believe this success is a direct result of people becoming more ethically minded in general, and in particular when it comes to farm animal welfare, and demanding supermarkets give them a higher welfare option.”

Freedom Food labelled chicken comes from farms that are assessed to strict RSPCA welfare standards and use slower growing breeds preventing health problems related to a faster growth rate. They are provided with more space to move around and a suitable dark period to allow the birds adequate time to rest.