Chickens took over the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham yesterday as the Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall circus pulled up at Tesco’s annual meeting for a showdown over poultry welfare.

The celebrity chef’s fight with the supermarket’s boardroom dominated the two-hour meeting, but he achieved dubious results. His tactics bemused the 500 shareholders, who in turn applauded, groaned and eventually escaped for lunch.

Fearnley-Whittingstall made an impassioned plea from the floor to investors to force Tesco into improving the welfare of its chickens and dropping intensive farming but it fell largely on deaf ears. Only 10 per cent supported his argument.

The star of River Cottage on Channel 4 remained defiant, and in a hastily arranged press conference after the meeting he said: “I said this morning that if we could achieve 10 per cent, that would be something that Tesco could not ignore. That’s precisely what we have done. We got 9.88 per cent and that’s a significant showing. Remember how difficult Tesco made this. They were saying don’t vote for the resolution as it will destabilise the company.

“Whether I come back again depends on the coming year. I want to see real change.”

One pensioner summed up the apathy among the Tesco investors, who endured a series of speeches from campaigners upset about the plight of chickens sold in Tesco’s. After wandering into the press conference by mistake, he asked: “Do you know where the toilets are?”

The confrontation was a moment of truth for the campaign. Investors who had turned up with their annual reports in hand to talk about more mundane fare — boardroom pay, the level of the dividend and why the local Tesco Express blocked a footpath in Solihull — were brushed aside.

Other pressure groups hardly got a look in. An American trade union that has enlisted Barack Obama in its fight for recognition at Tesco’s Fresh & Easy chain in the US did not get a word in.

One shareholder stood up and urged the board to stop the “constant carping criticism”.

Fearnley-Whittingstall and his campaign team raised £87,000 to table a resolution that urged Tesco to raise the game in its supply chain and improve the lives of the millions of chickens they sell every year.

His core argument is that Tesco has failed to meet RSPCA standards and ensure chickens enjoy the “five freedoms” — freedom from hunger, discomfort, pain and fear and the freedom to express normal behaviour.

He argues that Tesco has also failed to live up to its own standards and government guidelines — claims denied vehemently by the supermarket. Tescos says that, by selling standard chickens in its stores, it is helping to address the needs of households who cannot afford free-range birds.

David Reid, Tesco’s chairman, reiterated the supermarket’s case yesterday after two of Tesco’s suppliers rallied to their paymasters’ cause. “We absolutely believe we meet all the right and proper standards and in a number of areas exceed them. We take a leadership role in industry.

“The cost of our standard chicken is £2.90 per kilo. A Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall chicken would be £8.99, three times as expensive. These are big differences. We believe in following the customer. If we given them the information, and continue to move forward on animal welfare, I’m sure everyone can end up in a better place.”

Sir Terry Leahy, Tesco’s chief executive, was more forthright after a director from Compassion in World Farming criticised the standards in the supermarket’s supply chain. “It’s perfectly reasonable to ask a question, but I don’t think it is right to hurl unsubstantiated opinions on to the floor. We will just hurl them back with conflicting ones.”

Behind the scenes, there are signs the dispute could be solved peacefully. Tesco said it had already asked the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to hold a meeting to discuss industry-wide animal welfare issues. Fearnley-Whittingstall said that Tesco had upgraded one of its chicken suppliers to the Five Freedom standard recently, but he insisted that as the biggest chicken-seller in the country, Tesco had a responsibility to lead from the front.

He said: “They talked about a forum with Defra and I would welcome that. I’d like to see them leading it.”

The former staff and pensioners discussing the proceedings were less than convinced. Margaret Wright, of Solihull, said: “I think Tesco has improved their requirements for chickens’ needs. They are not up to Waitrose standard, but I certainly think we need a supply of cheaper meat in the UK.”

Every little hurts

United Food and Commercial Workers Union
One of America’s most powerful trade unions turned up in force to push its claim for recognition at Tesco’s Fresh & Easy chain of convenience stores in the US. It argued that staff in the US enjoy nowhere near the same benefits as those in Britain. Sir Terry Leahy, Tesco chief executive, rounded on the UFCW for “attacking and opposing” the company.
Irritation factor 6/10

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
One of television’s most popular chefs guaranteed a media circus at the annual meeting by putting special resolution 17 — urging Tesco to improve its chicken welfare standards. Supporters dominated the floor until investors rallied to Tesco’s defence. Fearnley-Whittingstall left “delighted”.
Irritation factor 9/10

Care for the Wild Interational
Gains the prize for the most lucid argument but the campaign group’s concerns for turtles and bullfrogs sold in Tesco’s Chinese stores were drowned out by fears for the health of battery hens. The group also wins the turning people off their lunch prize for mentioning how turtles live for 15 minutes after they have been decapitated.
Irritation factor 2/10

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