The Hidden Human and Economic Costs of Cheap Poultry

• Poultry is the most affordable meat in European supermarkets, but its low price depends on squeezed farm margins and grueling working conditions in slaughterhouses.
• The European market is highly concentrated, with just 15 companies controlling roughly half of the industry. Spain is currently the EU's second-largest producer.
• The industry relies on a 'vertical integration' model where massive corporations control the entire supply chain, leaving independent farmers with little autonomy.

Industrialized Farming and Farmer Struggles

• The industry shifted in the mid-20th century to an intensive, standardized model imported from the U.S., centered on genetically bred 'broilers' designed for rapid weight gain.
• Critics note these animals suffer from severe health issues, including skeletal and cardiovascular failures, due to their accelerated growth rates.
• Farmers operate as service providers under strict contracts, often needing to double their capacity just to survive while remaining vulnerable to rising energy and input costs that corporations are slow to compensate.

Labor and Market Consolidation

• Slaughterhouse workers face intense pressure from large retailers to keep costs low, resulting in dangerous, high-speed work environments and widespread occupational injuries.
• The sector is heavily dependent on immigrant labor, with workers reporting long, unpredictable hours and high job insecurity.
• Recent years have seen rapid corporate consolidation, including Vall Companys' acquisition of Grupo Sada and the entry of international groups like Ukraine’s MHP into the Spanish market.
• Industry representatives acknowledge that the current growth model faces long-term sustainability risks unless the economic stability of farmers and the rest of the supply chain is protected.