General Animal Welfare Statement:

Chopstix is committed to operating in a sustainable, responsible manner and to driving up animal welfare standards within the business and among our suppliers. We base our approach to animal welfare on the Five Freedoms as defined by the Farm Animal Welfare Council. And, acknowledging that farm animals are sentient beings, we have also included a sixth Freedom recognising that good mental wellbeing and the ability to express species-specific behaviour must be accounted for ;

1. Freedom from hunger & thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain health and vigour.

2. Freedom from discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from disease and injury - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to display normal behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.

5. Freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

6. Freedom to undergo positive experiences - by providing appropriate conditions to experience positive emotions and encourage natural behaviour.

We are also aware that our customers are increasingly concerned about how their food is sourced and as such we endeavour to continue improving the welfare of animals in our supply chain.

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Chicken

Chopstix is committed to improving chicken welfare standards and has signed up to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), thereby committing to meet or exceed the standards set out in the BCC by 2026 for 100% of the chicken in our UK and European supply chain.

We will review this commitment on an annual basis.

Statement of Intent for halal slaughter:

Electrical water bath stunning is the main method used globally for the slaughter of poultry. There are, however, significant animal welfare concerns with this method and in 2012 the European Food Safety Authority called for an end to its use

1. Effective electric alternatives are yet to be developed. However, recognising that under halal standards, Controlled Atmosphere Systems may not be accepted, as the animal must not be dead at the time of slaughter (cutting), it is a bare minimum that a stunning method that renders the animal insensible to pain, but still alive, is developed and adopted as soon as possible - We, agree to:

• Actively press our suppliers and support the latest research projects to find alternatives to electrical water bath as a matter of urgency;

• Support the call for the use of water bath stunning to be banned by 2026, and new, more humane systems for the effective electric stunning of poultry without conscious inversion to be developed and commercially available by no later than 1st January 2026;

• Commit to investing and adopting such a stunning method (without conscious inversion) as soon as it is commercially available.