'Many Nando's chickens live with painfully deformed legs, hearts, and lungs that struggle to keep up with growing too big, too fast'

South African restaurant chain Nando's, well knows for its peri-peri chicken dishes, has been slammed over its animal welfare standards.

A campaign dubbed '#TheRealCheekyNandos', created by charity World Animal Protection, calls for the eatery to provide chickens with more space and to 'stop the use of fast-growing chickens and switch to slower-growing breeds that grow at a more natural rate'.

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'Cramped conditions'

According to World Animal Protection: "Many Nando's chickens live with painfully deformed legs and hearts and lungs that struggle to keep up with growing too big, too fast. This often means they cannot walk and die prematurely.

"Chickens are also kept in cramped conditions with little space to move, preventing them from behaving naturally."

As part of the campaign, a billboard stopped outside a UK Nando's store, advertising the claim that 'Nando's uses fast-growing breeds of chickens which suffer from agonizing bone deformities and failing organs'.

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"You know, the very least they could do is have more humane practices," one witness said.

"Having heard that KFC is committed to doing more, that's pretty damning on Nando's. I would think if KFC can do better I would hope that Nando's could at least match that and probably do better."

'Higher welfare standards'

A Nando’s spokesperson did not deny any of the allegations, telling Plant Based News: "Nando’s has been working hard with a range of independent experts on our strategy to address the complex relationship between higher welfare standards, environmental issues and supply-chain management.

"We know that as a chicken restaurant group we have a desire and responsibility to overcome these challenges, identify opportunities and ensure that every aspect of how we source our chicken is done in the best possible way.

"We welcome initiatives like the Better Chicken Commitment and share the aspiration and recognition of the need to change, which we believe needs to be a combined effort across the industry. We look forward to keeping everyone updated on our plans as we move forward on this important issue.”

You can sign the petition to urge Nando's to better its animal welfare-standards here

*This story was updated on August 19 to include the statement from Nando's.