A guide to decoding animal welfare labels on food products, understanding what different certifications require and how to make more informed purchasing decisions.
Welfare labelling is a key tool for consumer-driven change but is currently confusing, inconsistent, and sometimes misleading. Terms like free-range, natural, and humane have no universal legal definition and can be used on products that fall far short of what consumers assume they mean. Independent certification schemes with published standards, third-party audits, and transparent reporting are more reliable indicators of genuine welfare improvement. Consumer literacy about label meanings — and pressure on retailers and governments to standardise and strengthen labelling requirements — are both important levers for welfare improvement.