Animal welfare food labeling varies enormously internationally, making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices without understanding specific schemes.
Welfare labels empower consumers to align food choices with values, but only when the label reflects genuine, audited welfare improvements. Greenwashing - using vague terms like 'natural' or 'humanely raised' without verified standards - misleads consumers and undermines trust in genuine schemes. Understanding specific label requirements enables consumers to make meaningfully better choices for animal welfare.