Welfare labelling on food products is inconsistent and confusing. Understanding what labels actually mean is essential for consumers trying to make higher welfare choices.
Poor labelling standards allow marketing claims to mislead consumers who want to make welfare-conscious choices. 'Free range' chicken meat can come from systems with much lower welfare than free range eggs. 'Outdoor bred' pork covers a range of systems from genuinely good to quite poor. 'Farm fresh' and 'happy chickens' are meaningless marketing terms. Third-party certification schemes such as RSPCA Assured provide independent verification that standards are met, but coverage is incomplete. Mandatory EU labelling would be a significant step forward.