Just over a month after the release of footage documenting terrible mistreatment of chickens at a farm belonging to a supplier of the European supermarket chain Lidl, today we wanted to show what happens at the same company that sells the major brand pork products as well.

Yes, because Lidl's animal welfare policies are extremely poor not only for chickens but for other species too. Indeed, the living conditions of pigs inside this facility are so serious that we have decided to file a complaint with the carabinieri-forestali.

The footage is shocking in its rawness, and because the violence is carried out not only by the workers — in itself a very serious fact that also points to a lack of training — but also by the veterinary surgeon. The animals are beaten with a stick, often for no apparent reason, including on highly sensitive parts of the body. One is lifted by the ears to be moved, another is chased and struck with a board that should instead be used to guide it in the right direction, and an animal that cannot move forward is tormented with an electric prod. All needless and unjustified suffering.

There are also violations of European Council Directive 2008/120/EC of 18 December 2008 (which lays down minimum standards for the protection of pigs), such as the systematic docking of pigs' tails and the absence of adequate environmental enrichment to allow the animals to express their natural behaviours — in particular rooting — and thereby avoid turning their attention to other animals by biting their tails.

What role Lidl can play in putting a stop to all this

As a leader in large-scale retail, Lidl can have enormous influence over the way animals are reared in its supply chain. This is because, thanks to its size and the volumes of products it purchases from producers, it has the capacity to intervene directly by requiring specific standards to be adopted.

For example, supermarkets can agree with their suppliers that improved standards are implemented across their supply chains in several areas:

• farming conditions (reduced stocking densities, better breeds, environmental enrichment, etc.)
• staff training (which should be compulsory for all workers, not only for the farm owner as the regulation requires)
• inspection plan (both by the supplier and by third-party bodies; unannounced inspections or with minimal notice, rather than inspections agreed in advance).

Let's not forget the chickens

These changes can have an enormous impact for all species, and this matters even more for chickens, the most numerically farmed land animals, for whom we have been asking Lidl Italia — alongside other international organisations — for two years now to sign up to the European chicken commitment, as it has already done in France. And not only that: Lidl Germany has also published on its website a new chicken policy aligned with the requirements of the Ecc, committing to guarantee better farming standards for its entire own-brand range of fresh chicken and chicken sausages. This demonstrates the feasibility of our requests.

There is no more time to waste: a concrete and immediate commitment is needed from the supermarket giant. That is why we are asking for your help by signing the petition.