Farm Animal Welfare

Pig Welfare and Food Labelling

Food labelling for pig welfare enables consumer choice and drives supply chain improvement - label design and enforcement determine effectiveness.

Key Facts

UK egg labelling (eggs from caged hens) has driven significant cage-free adoption
Method of production labelling for pork is proposed but not yet mandatory in the UK
EU Farm to Fork strategy includes welfare labelling for animal products as a goal
Consumer research shows welfare labels increase purchasing of higher welfare products
Meaningful labels require third-party verification - producer self-claims are inadequate

Welfare Considerations

Welfare labelling is a market mechanism that enables consumer choice to drive supply chain improvement. Labels that are verified, meaningful, and consumer-comprehensible create real welfare incentives for producers - making labelling policy both a market and welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory, verified welfare labelling for pig products
Choose products with third-party verified welfare labels over producer self-claims
Engage with food labelling consultations to advocate for meaningful welfare standards