Welfare Science

Animal Welfare Audit and Assurance Schemes

Farm assurance and welfare audit schemes provide a mechanism for verifying and improving farm animal welfare standards across supply chains.

Key Facts

RSPCA Assured is the UK's leading higher-welfare farm assurance scheme with over 4,500 members
Red Tractor is the most widely recognised UK assurance scheme covering basic legal standards
Third-party auditing by accredited assessors is the cornerstone of scheme credibility
Welfare outcome measures are increasingly supplementing input requirements in audit criteria
Supply chain pressure from retailers drives the uptake and continuous improvement of assurance schemes

Welfare Considerations

Welfare audit schemes create accountability and drive improvement in farm animal welfare. Their effectiveness depends on rigorous standards, independent auditing, and retailer and consumer uptake.

What You Can Do

Choose products bearing meaningful welfare assurance marks such as RSPCA Assured
Engage with retailers about the welfare standards they require from suppliers
Advocate for outcome-based welfare auditing alongside input-based compliance checking
Support the development and adoption of international welfare audit standards
Learn about the differences between welfare assurance schemes to make informed choices