Food labelling systems that convey welfare information to consumers vary enormously between countries, with significant implications for purchasing decisions and welfare outcomes.
Food labelling serves as the primary mechanism through which consumer welfare concern can be expressed in purchasing decisions. However labelling effectiveness is undermined by proliferation of schemes with different standards, consumer confusion about what different labels mean, and the invisibility of welfare information on unlabelled products. The EU Farm to Fork strategy's aspiration for harmonised welfare labelling represents a significant opportunity if implemented. The most valuable labels combine genuine welfare standard differentiation with third-party verification and consumer-accessible information about what the label means.