Mo Gilligan’s Netflix Documentary Exposes Fast‑Food Chicken Industry Practices

Netflix released the documentary *Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy* on 27 October 2023, featuring British comedian Mo Gilligan. For 28 days Gilligan ate only fried chicken from fast‑food outlets, undergoing medical tests that showed worsening health, digestive issues and weight changes.

The film details the industry's use of fast‑growing chickens slaughtered early, toxic additives, child labour in processing plants and the environmental toll of factory‑farming. It highlights that major chains such as KFC have abandoned the Better Chicken Commitment, sparking criticism of corporate responsibility. The documentary also examines cultural stereotypes around fried chicken, notes the sector’s $250 billion global value and the proliferation of roughly 6,000 UK outlets, and calls for greater transparency and regulation.

Gilligan’s personal experience is used to illustrate broader concerns about consumer health, animal welfare and labour rights within the fast‑food chicken market.