Farmed Animal Welfare and Food Labeling Reform

Clear, mandatory welfare labeling on animal products would allow consumers to make informed choices, with current voluntary labeling systems failing to provide transparent information.

Key Facts

Studies show most consumers want to know how the animals in their food were raised
Current labeling is inconsistent and often misleading - terms like natural and farm-fresh have no welfare meaning
Mandatory welfare outcome labeling is in place for eggs in the EU but not for other animal products
Research shows welfare labeling increases consumer choice of higher-welfare products
Australia and some other countries have mandatory method-of-production labeling for eggs
Meat labeling reform is actively debated in the EU as part of the Farm to Fork strategy

Welfare Considerations

Food labeling reform is one of the highest-leverage policy changes available for improving farm animal welfare through market mechanisms. If consumers can easily identify higher-welfare products, market demand shifts accordingly. The current patchwork of voluntary, inconsistent, and often meaningless welfare claims prevents informed consumer choice. Mandatory, standardized outcome-based welfare labeling for all animal products - as exists for eggs in the EU - would enable the market to reward welfare improvements and incentivize producers to adopt better practices.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory welfare labeling on all animal products
Write to elected representatives advocating for food labeling reform that includes welfare information
Donate to consumer advocacy organizations working on food labeling transparency
Choose third-party certified products with transparent welfare information while labeling reforms advance