Mandatory animal welfare labelling on food products would enable consumers to make genuinely informed choices, a reform supported by evidence and public opinion but resisted by industry.
The current absence of meaningful welfare information at the point of sale means that most consumers cannot align their purchasing choices with their stated welfare values. Generic terms like farm fresh or natural convey no welfare information. Even certified labels vary enormously in the standards they require. A mandatory tiered labelling system, similar to those piloted in Denmark and Germany, would provide clear, standardised information that allows consumers to choose products that reflect their values, and would create market incentives for farms to improve standards. Without such transparency, welfare improvement through consumer choice is severely constrained.