Welfare Science

Animal Welfare and Food Labelling: Future Direction

The future of animal welfare food labelling lies in standardised, meaningful, and transparent systems that enable genuine consumer choice.

Key Facts

EU harmonised welfare labelling is projected to cover all animal products by 2028
Digital labelling using QR codes enables detailed welfare information accessible to motivated consumers
Front-of-pack welfare tier indicators demonstrate highest impact on consumer choice
Third-party verification of welfare claims is essential for label credibility and consumer trust

Welfare Considerations

Food labelling is a critical interface between animal welfare and consumer behaviour. The future of effective labelling requires standardisation to prevent label proliferation, transparency to enable verification, and accessibility to reach beyond motivated welfare consumers to mainstream shoppers.

What You Can Do

Support standardised, verified animal welfare labelling systems
Advocate for mandatory welfare tier labelling on all animal products
Engage with consultations on welfare labelling reform in your jurisdiction