The British Poultry Council (BPC) has announced an 83% cut in antibiotic use across the poultry meat sector since 2012, crediting “design principles” of stewardship for the achievement.
Releasing its 2025 Antibiotic Stewardship Report, the BPC said collaboration, transparency, and data sharing across the supply chain have driven long-term reductions in antibiotic use while maintaining animal welfare.
Key findings include an 83.22% reduction in overall antibiotic use since 2012; a 99.34% reduction in the use of Critically Important Antibiotics and Zero use of preventative antibiotics,
The UK poultry meat industry was the first to voluntarily adopt a strategy for responsible antibiotic use back in 2011, and the sector remains within government-approved RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture) targets.
BPC Chief Executive Richard Griffiths said the 2025 report goes beyond numbers to showcase the values underpinning progress: “Stewardship is about designing for continuous improvement, responsible practice, and long-term contribution. This report reflects the principles that guide our sector every day, showing how our work benefits both poultry meat production and the wider fight against antimicrobial resistance.”
Instead of a traditional format, the latest report presents a series of ‘postcards’, each highlighting a design principle behind the council’s stewardship strategy. According to the BPC, the approach demonstrates not only reductions achieved but also why they matter.
The council emphasised that antibiotics are only used under strict veterinary direction when necessary and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and collaboration.
The full report is available via the British Poultry Council.