Banham Poultry

A 2021 investigation revealed that over 4,500 chickens died prematurely in one Banham shed, which is a disturbing mortality rate of over 10%.⁴

Investigators found thousands of birds in one shed had red, sore burns on their skin from having no choice but to lay in ammonia-sodden waste.⁵ Meanwhile, the bodies of dead birds were left to rot on the shed floors with some chickens filmed eating them.⁶

During its most recent audit (August 2025),⁷ Banham’s slaughterhouse broke seven animal health and welfare regulations. The most serious was a breach described as "major" in which they caused unnecessary suffering during the slaughter process.

After 350 complaints from local residents about the “decaying flesh odour” from a Banham facility, the Environment Agency fined Banham £300,000, citing reckless culpability.⁸

In extraordinary news, Banham objected to a care home being built nearby in case the stench of its business led to complaints from the elderly and infirm residents. If your business is so rotten that you’re expecting complaints from society’s elders, then just maybe it’s time to do something about it?⁹

Banham has no publicly available waste management strategy, despite producing a gargantuan 669 tonnes of chicken shit every day.¹⁰ Chicken farms are known to be major polluters of the UK’s rivers.¹¹

At its most recent audit (August 2025),¹² Banham’s hygiene and food safety record left a lot to be desired, with 14 breaches detected. Amongst other things, these related to contamination and the improper management of “animal by-products”, which is all the diseased and unprofitable body parts that cannot be sold. There was also a major non-compliance around the supply of drinking water. We absolutely dread to think.

Banham Poultry, though not under its current owner, was charged with corporate manslaughter after two workers died at its Attleborough site.¹³ But at the trial, before the jury could be sworn in, the company instead pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. ¹⁴

Workers described Banham as “highly toxic”, said it was the “worst job ever,” and accused the company of not caring about its employees. “Would not recommend unless you’re desperate,” wrote one.¹⁵