Overview
- About 50 avian flu cases have been confirmed on UK farms since October, a worse season than last year but not as severe as 2022/23, industry figures say.
- Roughly 5% of the Christmas poultry flock — about 300,000 birds — has been culled, adding pressure to festive availability.
- Housing orders for larger flocks took effect in England on 6 November and in Wales on 13 November, with a Great Britain prevention zone in force as new cases continue to be reported.
- Producers expect tight supplies, particularly for free-range and organic birds, and some heavier birds will be scarcer after early processing to reduce infection risk.
- Major supermarkets are expected to meet demand, but smaller retailers report higher prices, reduced or smaller turkey allocations, and constrained imports from Europe and South America.