‘Red Tractor’, ‘Freedom Foods’, ‘Organic’…. all terms we’ve heard before. All welfare assurance labels. All designed to inform us about where our food comes from and how it was produced without having to spend too long scouring the small-print on the packet. But is it really that simple? The numerous different labels, codes and schemes standing for varying levels of welfare make it easy to forget, and sometimes even be completely wrong about what each of these labels actually mean.
First, you need to decipher which labels actually include high welfare in their definitions. This is easier said than done. Many labels say ‘locally sourced’ or ‘farm fresh’, but none of these bear any indication to animal welfare standards. Only quality assurance labels are designed with welfare in mind. But the confusion doesn’t end there – how are we to know the levels of animal welfare standards by looking at a logo on a packet. Clearly, the schemes need to distribute more information to us, the consumers, about what each of their labels stand for. This can be achieved through many different strategies such as leaflets/ posters in local supermarkets, or a re-brand of the label itself to emphasise exactly what it stands for.
So, what really differs between welfare labels? Continue reading
Al's Animal Insights 