Chlorinated chicken gets thumbs down in public survey

More than 151,000 shoppers have urged Britain’s biggest supermarkets to publicly commit to keeping chlorinated chicken and other lower-standard food imports off their shelves, amid renewed concern over UK-US trade talks.

The call comes from campaign group 38 Degrees, which has written to major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi and Waitrose on behalf of consumers demanding firm guarantees on food standards.

See also: Farage accused of ‘utter ignorance’ on chlorinated chicken

The group says the response shows widespread public unease that protections could be weakened as the UK continues negotiations over a trade deal with the US, building on a framework already agreed in June 2025.

New polling, commissioned by 38 Degrees and carried out by Savanta, found 68% of UK adults oppose allowing chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated meat to be sold in UK supermarkets, even if it helped secure a trade deal with the US.

Just 9% of those surveyed said they would support such a move.

Opposition spans the political spectrum, with 78% of 2024 Labour voters, 75% of Conservative voters and 63% of Reform voters against allowing the products onto supermarket shelves.

Within the wider campaign, more than 75,000 shoppers have signed a specific petition calling on retailers to rule out stocking chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef.

In a letter sent to supermarket chief executives, 38 Degrees warned that any decision to sell such products would be a “red line” for many customers.

Campaigners argue that chlorine washing is linked to poorer animal welfare standards in the US poultry sector and that hormone-treated meat remains banned in the UK for public health reasons.

They also warn that allowing cheaper imports produced to lower standards would undercut British farmers.

NFU demand

Commenting on the survey findings, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “Chicken treated with an anti-microbial wash is illegal to produce in the UK, and any imports must be held to those same standards.

“Allowing such imports would undermine British farmers, stall investment, erode growth and weaken resilience in a vital sector that provides an important source of protein for the nation.”

Veronica Hawking, campaigns director at 38 Degrees, said: “151,000 people have sent a clear message: our dinner plates are not up for negotiation.”

Supermarkets have been given until Monday 2 February to confirm whether they will renew commitments made in 2020 to keep such products off their shelves.