Scrumptious with scruples

 

18.12.09
 
More Freedom Food labelled turkeys than ever will be on sale in supermarkets up and down the country this Christmas, as consumers continue to step up demand for higher welfare products.

The number of turkeys reared under Freedom Food to the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards, has almost tripled in the last two years from 332,000 in 2007 to 984,000 birds this year.

This news follows research from grocery analysts IGD, 'Shoppers in 2012' (August 2009), which revealed that, despite the recession, a third (34 per cent) of shoppers expect to be buying more foods with high animal welfare standards in the future.

IGD research has also shown that interest in animal welfare is growing. While price remains the biggest influence on people's food choice, animal welfare is the fastest rising factor.

Choose higher welfare this Christmas

But despite this rising concern for farm animal welfare and the increase in Freedom Food labelled turkey, most of the 19 million turkeys currently produced in the UK are still being reared to welfare standards that the RSPCA finds unacceptable. 
 

Alice Clark, RSPCA farm animal welfare scientist, said:

Progress is certainly being made with more turkeys being reared to the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards than ever before, but there is still some way to go.

We have real concerns about the way in which the majority of turkeys in the UK are raised. We would like to see all turkeys farmed to RSPCA standards where they are able to move around freely and perform their natural behaviours.

Consumers can easily help improve the lives of turkeys and show they care by choosing only higher welfare birds this Christmas, like those labelled Freedom Food.  

Find out more

For information about about farm animal welfare and where to buy festive food carrying the Freedom Food logo, visit our Freedom Food pages:
 

• www.freedomfood.co.uk/scrumptiouswithscruples 

Freedom Food turkeys

Freedom Food turkeys can be free-range or reared indoors provided the RSPCA’s strict welfare standards are met. They are given much more space to move around than most turkeys and are reared throughout their lives to the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards, which go beyond basic industry requirements in many key welfare areas.