Vote for better pig welfare with your shopping basket

Transcription

1 Vote for better pig welfare with your shopping basket

2 Why Think Pig? Did you know that as a consumer you have the power to improve the lives of pigs just by what you choose to put in your shopping basket? Many of the 160 million pigs that are bred for meat annually in the EU are reared in conditions that the RSPCA believes are unacceptable. Many of us know we should buy higher welfare eggs and chicken, so what about pigs?

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4 W E B LL EI NG

5 What should I buy? Many people are confused about the labelling on pork, bacon, ham and sausages. The good news is the RSPCA has developed the Think Pig checklist to make it easy: Visit thinkpig for a guide to logos and labels 1. Is it Freedom Food? Look for the Freedom Food logo. Whatever the farming system, all Freedom Food approved farms are inspected to RSPCA welfare standards. 2. Is it outdoor bred, outdoor reared, free-range or organic? If you can t see the Freedom Food logo, look for any of these terms. Pick the one that suits your budget. 3. Has your supermarket signed up? As long as your supermarket has signed up to the new labelling code as described on the next page, you know that these labelling terms conform to an agreed set of standards. Check here:

6 What do the labels mean? In February 2010 a new voluntary labelling code of practice was launched by the pig industry which means that the terms freerange, outdoor bred and outdoor reared all refer to an agreed set of standards. Free-range: kept outdoors in fields until processing, with bedded huts for shelter. Outdoor reared: born outside in fields, have outdoor access for about half their lives, then transferred to indoor accommodation. Outdoor bred: born outside, transferred to indoor accommodation at weaning. Most major supermarkets have signed up to this new voluntary code. Check if your supermarket has signed up at Visit for a guide to logos and labels

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9 Why do pigs need our help? Higher welfare conditions help make pigs more comfortable and content.... in some pig farming systems growing pigs have to stand on bare slatted floors with nowhere comfortable to sleep and little to occupy their inquisitive minds and across much of Europe their mothers are often confined to small metal pens for the whole of their breeding life. And if that doesn't already sound bad enough, male piglets are often castrated without anaesthetic. Pigs desperately need our help and you can make a huge difference to their quality of life, simply by choosing what to buy. Visit to find out how you can help.

10 On a budget? Freedom Food and other higher welfare pork, ham, bacon and sausages aren t necessarily expensive, but can cost a little bit more. Here are some tips to make your money go further: Prepare your own pork: ignore expensive pre-packaged pork products with marinades or sauces. Bulk out your meal: When buying or serving meat, go for quality rather than quantity and add more vegetables and bread. Get the portions right: people often cook far too much for the people they are serving. Visit for a portion calculator.

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12 Follow the Think Pig checklist: 1 Is it Freedom Food? 2 Is it outdoor reared, outdoor bred, free-range or organic? 3 Has your supermarket signed up to the new labelling code? Check here: Find out more online and play the Think Pig Facebook game. Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 9RS Telephone: A charity registered in England and Wales, no: Booklet design and illustration by Mind Orchard 7.10