Swiss chicken consumption jumps 83% as demand outpaces local supply

Chicken consumption in Switzerland has risen 83% in 25 years to 16.5 kilograms per person, while domestic production meets only 62% of demand, SRF reported.

Chicken is now the country’s second-most popular meat after pork, according to industry association Proviande. Consumption has risen steadily over the past 25 years, while that of other meats has either fallen or remained stable.

Social media promotion by athletes and recommendations for “Crousty” fast-food restaurants, particularly popular in French-speaking Switzerland, have helped drive demand. Chicken’s relatively low price and its acceptability across religious communities have also contributed to its popularity.

Last year, Switzerland imported almost 50,130 tonnes of chicken, a third of it from Brazil. The country halted imports of Brazilian meat in early September as a precaution over antibiotic use. Migros and Coop said they could make up the shortfall with poultry from Europe, though prices could rise in the coming weeks.

Fast-growing Ross 308 birds account for 90% of the chicken consumed in Switzerland. Animal welfare organisations say the breed’s rapid growth causes suffering. The European Chicken Commitment, an animal-welfare label, prohibits the use of fast-growing breeds. Nearly 400 companies have signed up, including KFC, Burger King, Lidl France, Aldi France and the LDC Group, Europe’s largest chicken producer. No major Swiss retailer has signed the commitment. Housing conditions also affect animal welfare, and Switzerland’s rules in this area are among the strictest in the world.

In September, Migros switched its entire Optigal brand to a slower-growing breed. The brand accounts for 40% to 50% of Migros chicken sales. The birds are expected to live an average of 42 days, compared with 35 days for Ross 308 chickens.

The change came a year after the animal welfare group Observatoire du spécisme published images from a farm in Vaud operated by Migros subsidiary Micarna. The images showed chickens limping and apparently suffering from weight and skin problems.

Using slower-growing breeds means lower domestic production and more imports. Migros said it wanted to stabilise or increase Swiss poultry production and is seeking 50 farms willing to begin raising chickens. Planning laws could make that difficult.