The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has called for clear labelling on animal products to stop “misleading” the public.
The RSPCA said consumers are being “denied the chance” to make informed choices about the food they eat and called for the UK government to act by introducing mandatory labelling on all animal products.
The charity’s ‘Change Starts With The Choice‘ campaign aims to see mandatory labels put on meat and dairy products to provide “transparency” for the public on the way the animals have been reared.
The RSPCA’s head of public affairs, David Bowles, said there is little information available to consumers to show them how farm animals have been reared.
“Instead, the public can be shown images of rolling green hills and animals in the sunshine which can be incredibly misleading and not reflective of reality in many cases,” he said.
“This is especially true of intensive farming practices which still account for around 70% of all land farming in the UK.
“No one wants to unwittingly contribute to low animal welfare, and support practices that they don’t agree with.”
Bowles said the public has a right to clear and consistent labelling so they can make an “informed choice” about the products they buy – including produce imported from abroad.
“Positively, there is support for mandatory labelling not only from consumers but from the retailers selling the products and the farmers who are committed to higher welfare farming practices and deserve to have that commitment recognised; so the time has clearly come for the UK government to act,” he said.
RSPCA survey
A new survey carried out by the charity revealed that more than four out of five people (81%) think having a level of knowledge about the condition the animals have been reared and kept in is important when purchasing products.
79% believe that they can improve animal welfare through their purchasing habits.
The survey also revealed that 61% of the UK population would only buy higher welfare options if there was clearer labelling on products, the RSPCA said.
“However, most animal products in the food industry are not currently required to have mandatory labelling that indicates how the animal was reared,” it said.
“This means that people can’t make informed decisions about what to buy and struggle to know whether farm animals have had a good, or better, life.”
The RSPCA said it believes improved labelling should also apply to imported products which would help to safeguard and differentiate British farmers against low welfare imports which could flood supermarket shelves as a result of recent trade agreements.
Despite a cost of living crisis, the survey also revealed that 53% of people would pay more for food with clear labelling on how the animal was reared.
“This demonstrates just how important it is to consumers that they can buy products from animals that have been cared for to higher welfare standards, such as those products labelled RSPCA Assured, organic or free range,” the RSPCA said.
Bowles said consumer buying behaviour with eggs proves that, given the choice, the public want to purchase “higher welfare food”.
“It is therefore long overdue that labelling is extended to all animal products,” he said.
“We want to see decision-makers commit to introducing mandatory method of production labelling on all animal products.
“And we are urging the UK government to launch a consultation on this issue as a first step to ensure everyone’s voices are heard and real change can happen.”
