Most duck meat comes from ducks raised without access to water for bathing - a significant welfare compromise for animals whose physiology and behaviour are adapted to aquatic environments.
Duck welfare in conventional farming is among the most poorly regulated areas of UK poultry production. Ducks are adapted to an aquatic environment: their eyes depend on regular immersion, their bills and plumage require water access for normal maintenance behaviours, and the inability to bathe causes measurable frustration and irritation. Yet most ducks sold in UK supermarkets are raised without any bathing water. The welfare case for water access is scientifically clear. The barrier is cost and management complexity. Higher welfare duck production with appropriate water access is commercially viable - it simply requires consumer demand and regulatory requirements to make it standard rather than premium.