After reviewing the responses to its consultation on labelling standards for animal welfare, the government has said it is especially interested in exploring the potential of mandatory animal-welfare labelling and will consult on proposals in 2023.
The consultation – Labelling for animal welfare: call for evidence – found that while there was broad support for mandatory labelling of imported products from respondents across all sectors, opinions differentiated when it came to products produced and sold in the UK.
Civil organisations and members of the public typically favoured a mandatory approach to labelling, while industry associations typically favoured an industry-led approach to labelling, with many questioning the likely effectiveness of mandatory labelling and citing the potential burden on farmers and businesses.
The government said it recognises the regulatory impact that mandatory animal-welfare labelling standards could have on businesses, and thus said it will co-develop proposals with industry and other key stakeholders to take full account of the potential costs and benefits at all stages of the supply chain.
Consultation
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ran a 12-week consultation last year seeking input on new labelling standards for produce now that, post Brexit, EU regulations no longer apply.
The aim of the consultation was to give Defra an understanding of how new food labelling might impact businesses, farmers and consumers.
The consultation received 1,633 responses, 93% of which were from individuals (1,515) and around 7% were from organisations (109), Defra explained in its summary of responses to the call for evidence on labelling for animal welfare published yesterday (Tuesday, August 30).
Overall, according to the consultation summary, there is great support for the government to reform labelling to promote greater consistency and understanding of animal welfare information at the point of purchase.
