BBC star Chris Packham has made an urgent plea for supermarkets to end the cruel culling of male chicks in the egg industry, asking: “What are we waiting for?”
The Springwatch presenter, 65, signed a letter to major retailers alongside celebrities including Dame Joanna Lumley and Succession’s Brian Cox. Some 45 million hours-old male chicks are killed each year in the UK because they cannot lay eggs or be used for meat. Despite increasing public awareness, the practice remains widespread.
Wasteful and Cruel Practice
Branding the practice “wasteful and cruel,” Packham added: “Male chick culling has no place in the UK. Other countries have already embraced alternatives, yet the UK continues to lag behind. I urge the UK egg industry and retailers to listen to the public and take urgent action to end male chick culling once and for all.”
Support from Celebrities and Public
Others backing the fight, led by the Vegetarian Society, include actress Sadie Frost, children's author Cathy Cassidy, and comedian Dave Spikey. The society's Ban Hatch and Dispatch petition has amassed more than 40,000 signatures, including over 100 politicians.
Public Affairs lead Jenny Canham said: “Retailers are a key part of the solution to ending male chick culling in the UK. We know the public overwhelmingly supports ending this practice, yet the vast majority of eggs on sale still come from systems where it is routinely carried out. With the UK now rapidly falling behind other countries, a joined-up approach across industry and government is urgently needed to make male chick culling a thing of the past.”
Retailers Targeted
The letter, signed by 11 celebrities, has been sent to bosses at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Morrisons, and Lidl. Many previously argued male chick culling was essential to provide food for captive reptiles, but new research has now identified alternatives.
