- Location
- Glen Clova, Angus, DD8 4RD
Call for Evidence - Labelling for Animal Welfare - Defra - Citizen Space
This site contains consultations that are run by Defra.
consult.defra.gov.uk
Food industry & farmers: There is currently no clear, consistent way to differentiate between products that meet or exceed the UK’s baseline welfare regulations – whether domestically produced or imported – and those that do not. Therefore, UK farmers may be undercut by imports of lower welfare and may not be able to capture the value of their products that meet baseline UK welfare regulations. Farmers opting for higher welfare systems may not receive a premium for such products.
Question 22: Do you think that products containing meat should be labelled to indicate the method of slaughter to consumers?
Please select: Yes, as a mandatory label – Yes, through voluntary labelling, with terminology defined in law – Perhaps, but this should be at discretion of the business – No
Why? Please provide supporting evidence
Question 24: Which type of labelling could be most effective at:
a. Supporting farmers meeting or exceeding baseline UK welfare regulations by ensuring they are rewarded by the market?
b. Improving animal welfare by unlocking untapped market demand for higher welfare products?
c. Ensuring UK baseline and higher welfare products are accessible, available, and affordable so that it is easy for consumers to choose food products that align with their values?
Please select: Mandatory – Voluntary, but defined in law – Industry-led
Why? Please use supporting evidence.
Question 25: To what extent do you support the principle of mandatory labelling to identify when imported meat, eggs and milk do not meet baseline UK welfare regulations?
Please select: Strongly support -- Partially support -- Neutral -- Partially oppose -- Strongly oppose
Why?
Prepared food sold through mass catering
The eating out market accounted for £66bn (39% [8]) of food spend, and 11% [9] of energy intake in 2015. However, there may be less transparency available to consumers on the animal welfare standards of food bought in this context [10], so we are looking at how this information could be provided to consumers.
Question 45: Which of the following options do you think could be suitable for indicating welfare standards within the catering sector? Please select up to 3 that you would be in favour of.
1. Mandatory labelling of the welfare standard at the point of sale, for example: on the menu
2. Mandatory disclosure of welfare standards available per product, for example: welfare information must be available on request
3. Mandatory disclosure of welfare standards on aggregate, for example: website states percentage of chicken sourced from free-range systems
4. Voluntary labelling of the welfare standard, using marketing terms defined in law
5. Rating for each mass caterer based on their welfare standards
6. No further action and use existing voluntary disclosures.
Why? Please provide supporting evidence.