“Your chicken is killing our rivers”: British icons take on Nando’s over supply chain

A group of high-profile figures—including celebrities, musicians, comedians, and campaigners such as Paul Whitehouse, Jo Brand, Joanna Lumley, Chris Packham, Liz Bonnin, George Monbiot, Johnny Flynn, Dominic West, Jim Murray, and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall—have united to pressure Nando’s to take responsibility for its environmental impact. They are calling on the restaurant giant to clean up its supply chain and tackle its contribution to severe river pollution.

In an open letter, high profile names, backed by environmental groups River Action, The Rivers Trust, Friends of the Wye, and the Angling Trust, have challenged Nando’s sustainability credentials, citing their links with suppliers that are “killing our rivers”.

The River Wye, once voted the nation’s UK’s favourite river, is on the brink of ecological collapse due to pollution primarily caused by intensive farming. Tens of millions of chickens are factory-farmed in the region, whose waste is poisoning local waterways and destroying vital wildlife habitats. Despite Nando’s insisting that ‘sustainability isn’t just a buzz word’, their supply chain is part of this environmental disaster.

The signatories’ urgent ask:

The coalition’s ask is simple: Nando’s must do for river protection what they did with their Better Chicken Commitment. They’re calling on the restaurant chain to design and implement a sector-leading plan to protect Britain’s rivers in their sustainability policy; no more PR speak, just real action.

Renowned naturalist and presenter Chris Packham highlighted the urgency, “If Nando’s wants to position itself as a sustainable and ethical company, it cannot ignore the environmental catastrophe in its supply chain. The Wye is dying, and companies profiting from its destruction must take responsibility.”

River Action’s Head of Campaigns Amy Fairman said, “The Wye River is on the brink of ecological collapse, and companies like Nando’s have a moral responsibility to ensure their supply chains are not driving this destruction.”

Liz Bonnin said, “If Nando’s truly cares about sustainability, it must act now to cut ties with polluting suppliers and set an example for the industry. Anything less is greenwashing.”

The coalition is calling on Nando’s to back up its words with real action, demanding immediate transparency and concrete steps to protect the environment. Their open letter—available for download here—urges the company to honour its advertised values and take meaningful responsibility for its supply chain’s impact.

Notes to Editors:

• After public pressure over river pollution, Nando’s quietly removed references to their suppliers from their website. In their place, they published a new webpage about their connection to the River Wye that presents a misleading picture of their supply chain impact – one supplier amounts to many tens of farms and millions of chickens. The page makes vague claims about policies and waste management, while failing to address where the waste ends up and the core issue of intensive chicken farming’s contribution to phosphate pollution in the Wye catchment.
• The Wye River catchment area has been subjected to significant ecological harm due to intensive poultry farming, with rising levels of phosphorus pollution leading to toxic algal blooms and the collapse of aquatic ecosystems.
• Nando’s publicly advertises its commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing, but questions remain about its adherence to these principles.