Farmed rabbit welfare is improving in some European markets through retailer commitments and voluntary standards, but the majority of global production remains in conventional cage systems.
The farmed rabbit sector is at a welfare inflection point in some markets where retailer commitments and consumer awareness are driving meaningful change. Italy's voluntary transition toward park systems, while not resolving all welfare concerns, represents genuine improvement from conventional cage conditions. The sector demonstrates how retailer sourcing requirements can drive welfare improvements in the absence of regulatory change. However, the majority of global rabbit production - particularly in China and other major producers - remains in conventional cage systems without welfare standards. The welfare opportunity is in leveraging market power in high-value European and North American markets to establish standards that can eventually spread to major producing countries.