Foodlaw-Reading Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Food Law News - UK - 2022

DEFRA Consultation, 30 August 2022

LABELLING / ANIMAL WELFARE - Consultation outcome: Labelling for animal welfare: call for evidence

Consultation outcome: Summary of responses to the call for evidence on labelling for animal welfare A copy of this document is available on this site (click on image). Provided under the Open Government Licence. The original document was accessed from:

DEFRA has published a summary of the responses to the consultation which opened on 13 September 2021 [see news item 13 September 2021].

Detail of outcome

Evidence provided indicates the potential of mandatory labelling reform to make it easier for consumers to purchase products that align with their values, support UK farmers, and improve animal welfare.

As a result, we have committed to consult on proposals to expand and reform mandatory welfare labelling. We will take into account call for evidence responses and engage with stakeholders throughout the supply chain as we develop consultation proposals.

Detail of feedback received

We received 1,633 responses to this call for evidence.

Headline messages [As stated in the document]

• Respondents cited polls by Compassion in World Farming, YouGov, Qa Research, and others, which found high levels of public support for reforming food labelling for animal welfare
• Respondents cited conflicting evidence about consumers’ prioritisation of animal welfare at the point of purchase, and their willingness to pay extra for higher-welfare products
• Civil society organisations and members of the public typically favoured a mandatory approach to labelling, citing the potential benefits for animal welfare, consumer transparency, and farmers meeting or exceeding baseline UK welfare regulations
• Industry associations typically favoured an industry-led approach to labelling, with many questioning the likely effectiveness of mandatory labelling and citing the potential burden on farmers and businesses
• There was broad support for the mandatory labelling of imported products from respondents across all sectors, including many of those opposed to the mandatory labelling of domestic products