Several Australian poultry producers are in hot water following allegations they have been falsely advertising their chickens as roam free.
The ACCC is taking action against two producers which supply chicken nationally under the Steggles brand, Turi Foods which supplies La Ionica brand meat chickens in NSW and Victoria, and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation.
It's alleged Baiada Poultry and Bartter Enterprises have been engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct in relation to the promotion and supply of chicken products via instore displays, print and package advertising, and delivery trucks.
Both Steggles and La Ionica claim their chickens are able to roam freely in barns with substantial space and that they live in conditions equivalent to a free range system.
The ACCC says the population density of their livestock - how many animals are kept in the barns - makes this claim impossible, and that the chickens can't roam freely.
The Federation, which represents these suppliers, has also been caught as part of the allegations, with the ACCC saying that all three groups are potentially benefiting from the false claims with purchases from consumers that concerned about animal welfare and quality.