Ahold Delhaize comments on chicken assortment at Albert in the Czech Republic

November 28, 2024 – Animal welfare is a material topic for Ahold Delhaize. We balance the welfare of animals with our commitments on other sustainability topics and our commitment to offer our customers affordable and healthy proteins, as well as supporting the local producer markets. We translate our animal welfare approach into global targets and encourage our local brands to go beyond these targets where they can given the situation in their specific market and availability of products.

Standards of Engagement 

Our commitment to animal welfare is not limited to our own operations. Our Standards of Engagement are one of the ways in which we ensure that the products we sell reflect this commitment. The Standards of Engagement define our expectations and ensure that our suppliers maintain the same high level of business ethics, regard for animal welfare, human rights and the environment as Ahold Delhaize and its brands. Our Standards of Engagement are included in our agreements with suppliers. 

Questions about our local brand Albert 

Recently, at Ahold Delhaize we have received questions from the Czech Republic NGO Obraz about the welfare of chickens for products sold at Ahold Delhaize's local Czech Republic brand Albert and how it relates to the Dutch “Beter Leven” standard.

While the Czech Republic brand Albert actively promotes sustainability and animal welfare as core values, it became the focus of the Obraz movement’s campaign. On behalf of Albert, the below information offers more context on local decision making and innovation: 

“Albert adheres to EU and local legislation, which is - is proactively and regularly - enforced by the State Veterinary Inspection in the Czech Republic. The "Beter Leven" standard was developed specifically for the Dutch market. 

Albert embarked on a journey to progressively elevate animal welfare standards beyond legal requirements. It became the first retailer in the Czech market to introduce a comprehensive private label concept – “Royal Chicken” - focused on enriched chicken farming, providing improved living conditions. For defining the "Royal Chicken" standards, Albert adheres to current local and EU legislation and follows the established guidelines for enriched farming.

The Royal Chicken range represented—and continues to represent—a significant investment in evolving farming practices, beginning on a single farm and expanding to ten farms across the Czech Republic due to its growing success with customers.

Albert customers can always choose their “Royal Chicken” assortment or opt for poultry from alternative farming systems that meet local and EU legislation and follow established guidelines for enriched farming, such as the "Golden Chicken" or limited weekly offers of our Nature’s Promise organic chicken.

Albert is continuously working to expand their product range to offer customers a choice and communicates the benefits of enriched farming practices.” 

Outreach

Ahold Delhaize has also reached out to the NGO OBRAZ to initiate a dialogue.