The British arm of German discount supermarket, Lidl, is trialling a new meat labelling system in a UK-first designed to improve transparency for consumers.

The trial, which will be introduced across the supermarket’s fresh chicken products, follows research which revealed that 71% of shoppers want more transparency from retailers on how the fresh chicken they buy was reared.

According to Lidl, packs will now contain details previously undeclared by supermarkets of packs of fresh chicken.

Detail carried on the new labels is similar to that found on egg packaging, with information on the different types of  farming systems, including caged and free-range.

Research shows that consumers find this type of labelling to be very informative, with two-thirds of Brits saying that egg packaging is detailed and transparent, helping them understand how the chickens laying them were kept.

The new label, which will feature on all fresh chicken in Lidl GB stores nationwide, will be attached directly to the front of the product packaging, displaying one of the following simple messages:

Indoor: Birds are reared outside the UK to legal housing requirements

British Indoor: Birds live in safe, comfortable housing with natural daylight, bales, perches and pecking objects

British Indoor: Birds live in housing with more space to exhibit natural behaviour; with natural daylight and environmental enrichment

British Free Range: Birds live in safe, comfortable housing with access to the outdoors for a minimum of 8 hours a day

British Organic: Birds have access to large outdoor ranges, with smaller flock sizes and a GM free diet

The move follows the success of a similar labelling scheme introduced by Lidl in Germany last year, which has led to wide-scale adoption across the industry.