Chick-fil-A recently announced that they will be shifting away from antibiotic-free chicken starting in the spring of 2024. They are not the only fast-food chain still using antibiotics in their meats, with several others including Burger King, Starbucks, Olive Garden, Panda Express, and more receiving low grades for their antibiotic usage in meat. McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Subway were given a “C” rating, while Panera and Chipotle were given higher grades. Antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis, with bacteria on meat evolving to become unaffected by antibiotics, leading to life-threatening infections.
The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both consider antibiotic resistance to be a top global public health threat. At least 35,000 Americans die from resistant infections each year, with 48 million people getting sick from foodborne illnesses. Germs like campylobacter, salmonella, and shigella contribute to approximately 742,000 antimicrobial-resistant infections annually. The number of drugs that these germs are resistant to seems to be increasing, posing a significant challenge to public health.
Fast food restaurants have the potential to play a significant role in reducing antibiotic overuse in the beef industry by influencing meat producers to use antibiotics responsibly. However, many fast-food restaurants have been slow to make meaningful commitments in this area. Wendy’s was highlighted as one of the exceptions, as the company committed to ending the routine use of medically-important antibiotics by 2030. Chick-fil-A had previously moved to antibiotic-free chicken in 2014 but is now transitioning back to using antibiotics that are not important to human medicine starting in 2024.
Panera Bread also recently changed its antibiotic-free policy in pork and turkey products due to supply chain constraints, with Tyson Foods similarly retracting its “no antibiotics ever” label on chicken. The decision by these companies to backtrack on their antibiotic commitments has raised concerns about the industry’s willingness to make long-term, sustainable changes. With antibiotic resistance posing a serious threat to public health, it is essential for food producers and restaurants to take responsibility for reducing antibiotic usage in meat production to help combat this global crisis. It remains to be seen how the industry will respond and adapt to evolving consumer demands and health concerns in the future.
