Animal welfare, consumer welfare, and competition law: The Dutch debate on the Chicken of Tomorrow

Abstract

• The business sector is often expected to innovate in promoting sustainable animal-sourced products. However, the Dutch Consumer and Market Authority ruled that a voluntary arrangement for a more ethical and sustainable chicken meat concept, the Chicken of Tomorrow, violated national and European Union competition law. • The ensuing debate on the Chicken of Tomorrow meat concept revealed that consumer acceptance of such sustainability agreements would depend on conditional self-regulation which is based on the explicit articulation of and alignment with public interests.