Viva! 8 York Court Wilder Street Bristol BS2 8QH Tel: 0117 944 1000 Fax: 0117 924 4646 email: media@viva.org.uk	26 July 2000 Viva! ends duck debeaking in Britain Waitrose and Somerfield today announced that they have stopped selling debeaked barbary duck, meaning that no UK supermarket now sells meat from debeaked ducks in its stores. The decision by both supermarkets to withdraw marks the final victory in Viva!’s campaign to end the debeaking of barbary ducks - launched just six months ago. Six supermarket chains have withdrawn from the trade in that time - Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and Somerfield. Harrods have stopped selling all factory farmed duck meat in response to Viva!’s campaign. Viva!’s 52-page Ducks out of Water report reveals how barbary (or muscovy) ducks routinely have the end of their sharp beaks sliced off in an attempt to prevent feather pulling - a product of the stressful conditions on duck factory farms. Scientists have found that it is traumatic and can lead to life-long suffering. Viva!’s campaign to end the debeaking of ducks was backed by celebrities including Sir Paul McCartney, Pam Ferris, Joanna Lumley, Twiggy and Wendy Turner. Kerry Foods, the only UK supplier of barbary duck, have been forced to make changes to their production systems as a result of the campaign. Ducks will now be provided with bales of hay to break up flock sizes and provide material for pecking to alleviate the boredom inside the crowded sheds. Currently, all supermarkets except Waitrose still refuse to stock barbary ducks from Kerry Foods. Waitrose state, “Various changes to the birds environment have reduced their aggression... I can advise you that no further flocks of barbary ducks will be beak trimmed.” Marks & Spencer, who sourced barbary duck from France, state, “The rearing practices of beak trimming, housing on wire mesh floors and low lighting levels cause concern and are prohibited by our new Code of Practice. For this reason we have decided to stop using barbary duck meat.” Says Viva! director Juliet Gellatley, “This is a fantastic result for animal welfare and proof once again that consumer power works! Supermarkets have responded quickly to the concerns of their customers and hundreds of thousands of ducks will now be spared the pain of having their beaks sliced off with an electric beak ‘trimmer’ and the resulting wound seared with a red-hot blade. “Both MAFF and the major supermarkets claimed that debeaking was essential to prevent aggression. Yet following consumer pressure, Kerry Foods have managed to reduce aggression amongst birds without resorting to cutting off their beaks. This painful mutilation was unnecessary from the start. “We’re thrilled that our campaign has been so effective and we are now determined to end the barbaric practice of duck factory farming altogether. Ducks sold in supermarkets continue to be kept in overcrowded sheds and denied access to water for swimming or even immersing their heads. If stores are genuinely committed to raising welfare standards for ducks, they must now act with principle and remove all factory farmed duck meat from their shelves.” For more information, footage or photographs of intensively farmed ducks, please contact Viva! on 0117 944 1000.