Free-range, organic and ‘hormone-free’: what do Australian supermarket chicken labels mean?

Australians consume more chicken than any other meat but packaging can be confusing. Here experts break down the different chook categories

From a bachelor’s handbag to the shining star of a pub feed, chicken has captured the hearts and stomachs of Australians nationwide. It is by far the country’s most popular meat, with Australians consuming almost 55kg of chicken a year, almost double the amount of pork, the second-most consumed meat.

Why? For one, chicken is cheap. Prices have remained stable compared with beef and lamb. Indexed to retail prices in 2010, the price of chicken has only increased by 20%, while beef has increased by nearly 80% and lamb by nearly 40%.