Video shows ducks sold by Tesco, Asda and Waitrose ‘brutally shackled on electric waterbath lines and dragged by wings’

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Use of shackles is legal, but government farm animal welfare advisers called in 2009 for live shackling to be phased out, saying it “may cause considerable pain and distress”. The European Food Safety Authority, as well as the Farm Animal Welfare Council, has urged that live shackling and waterbath stunning be replaced as soon as possible “to spare birds from severe welfare consequences". “Shackled birds are allowed to touch each other meaning that birds further up the line will receive pre-stun non-lethal shocks.” Ms Palmer said: “The irony is that the most water that Gressingham ducks will ever experience is when they hit the electric waterbath inside this slaughterhouse. A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “We are urgently investigating this issue with Gressingham Foods.” An Asda spokesman said: “We have comprehensive animal welfare standards in place that we expect all suppliers to uphold and are speaking with the supplier about these allegations.” A Tesco spokesperson said: “We require high animal welfare standards from all brands sold at Tesco.