An open letter to UK retailers: a call to lead in ending male chick culling

19^th June 2026 

An open letter to UK retailers: a call to lead on ending male chick culling 

Dear retailers, 

As public figures who care deeply about animal welfare, sustainability, and the values reflected in the products on our shelves, we are writing to call on you, as key stakeholders, to speak up and play a leading role in bringing male chick culling to an end. 

Every year in the UK, around 45 million male chicks are killed shortly after hatching simply because they cannot lay eggs. Despite growing public awareness, the vast majority of eggs currently sold in the UK still come from systems where this practice is routine. 

Fortunately, a solution already exists. In-ovo sexing technology allows the sex of a chick to be identified before hatching, preventing male chicks from ever being born into a system where they will be killed within hours. It is already being rolled out across Europe, with several countries including France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and most recently Norway having already banned the practice or have committed to transition away from it. 

Importantly, a clear way forward has now been set out. A new roadmap provides a practical route to ending male chick culling in the UK, supporting a managed transition for industry. This aligns with the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, which signalled its ambition to end the practice and made clear its expectation that industry must now step up and drive progress. 

Consumers are also firmly behind change. Polling shows that 76% of the UK public would be willing to pay one penny more per egg to ensure it is not linked to chick culling. This reflects a clear expectation that retailers should help lead the transition to in-ovo sexing technology. 

Retailers are uniquely positioned to help drive this shift. As key stakeholders in the supply chain, we need you to take action by: 

• Publicly calling for an end to male chick culling 

• Calling for the Government to publish a timeline and consultation on ending male chick culling as essential next steps 

• Engaging other industry stakeholders to ensure a collaborative transition  

• Work with industry to ensure that any costs associated with adopting in-ovo technology is fairly distributed across the supply chain 

We urge you to use your position to help drive this change forward and ensure the UK ends male chick culling in a structured and timely way. 

This is a moment for leadership across the supply chain, and retailers have a vital role to play in making it happen. 

We must all work together to finally bring male chick culling to an end, moving towards a more ethical and sustainable food system. 

Yours sincerely, 

Dr Marc Abraham OBE – Multi award-winning vet, author and campaigner 

Cathy Cassidy – Children’s author 

Brian Cox – Actor 

Sadie Frost – Actor, designer, producer and director 

Kirsty Gallacher – Broadcaster 

Harriet Kemsley – Comedian 

Dame Joanna Lumley – Actress and Presenter 

Chris Packham CBE – Naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author 

Matt Pritchard – Chef and author 

Sir Mark Rylance – Actor 

Dave Spikey – Award-winning comedian, writer and presenter