An attempt by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to pressure Tesco into raising the welfare standards of its chickens has received the backing of influential corporate governance consultancy Pirc.

An attempt by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall to pressure Tesco into raising the welfare standards of its chickens has received the backing of influential corporate governance consultancy Pirc.

It is to support a motion at the supermarket's annual meeting in Birmingham on June 27 calling on the company to set a firm deadline for upgrading poultry standards.

Pirc said: "We consider the resolution to be in line with Tesco's stated animal welfare policy commitment and believe the specific request does not represent an attempt to micro-manage the business."

Tesco's animal welfare policy endorses the approach of the Farm Animal Welfare Council, which set out "five freedoms" for animals including freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease and freedom to express normal behaviour.

But Fearnley-Whittingstall, who raised £87,000 to have his motion circulated to investors, says it is contravening this by stocking standard broiler chickens and has called on it to sell only chickens raised to a higher RSPCA standard by 2010/11.

The impact would be that while Tesco could continue to sell chickens raised indoors, these would be of slower growing breeds, living in less crowded sheds with facilities such as resting areas.

But the supermarket chain has opposed the motion, saying it "does not add anything to the debate about improving animal welfare" and restricts choice.

Pirc is also encouraging shareholders to oppose the company's remuneration report because it argues that the combined awards under its annual bonus and long-term incentive plans were "excessive" last year. Company chief executive Sir Terry Leahy received £5.5m last year after a bonus of £4m.

At the 2007 AGM more than 16% of shareholders voted against the company's new incentive plan.