SUPERMARKETS AND FARM ANIMAL WELFARE RAISING THE STANDARD

Transcription

1 SUPERMARKETS AND FARM ANIMAL WELFARE RAISING THE STANDARD Compassion in World Farming Trust Supermarket Survey A report for Compassion in World Farming Trust 2006

2 Compassion in World Farming Trust is an educational charity working internationally to advance the welfare of farm animals. We carry out detailed research using academic literature and publish educational resources for use by schools, universities and the general public on farm animal welfare and associated environmental, social and ethical issues. Our publications include reports, books, videos, factsheets and teaching materials. CIWF Trust cooperates with organisations and individuals in many countries. Our current key issues include animal sentience and an assessment of the impact of the World Trade Organisation on farm animal welfare globally. The Trustees are grateful to several grant-making Charitable Trusts and members of the public who have made work in these areas possible. A complete list of our available materials and downloadable versions can be found at 4

3 SUPERMARKETS AND FARM ANIMAL WELFARE RAISING THE STANDARD Compassion in World Farming Trust Supermarket Survey Conducted by Compassion in World Farming Trust Project managed by Kerry Burgess Report researched and compiled by Heather Pickett 2006 Published by Compassion in World Farming Trust 5a Charles Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EH, UK Tel. +44 (0) Fax. +44 (0) Website: Compassion in World Farming Trust, 2006 ISBN Compassion in World Farming Trust is an educational charity working internationally to advance the welfare of farm animals. Registered charity number , a company limited by guarantee, registered number

4 Contents page Introduction 5 Summary and Conclusions 6 Survey Results: 11 Supermarket Sales of Own Label and Farm Assured Livestock Products 11 Section 1: Supermarket Policy on Farm Animal Welfare 13 Section 2: Supermarket Investment in Farm Animal Welfare Research and Development Work 15 Section 3: The Welfare of Laying Hens 16 Section 4: The Welfare of Broiler Chickens 18 Section 5: The Welfare of Turkeys, Ducks and Geese 20 Section 6: The Welfare of Pigs 23 Section 7: The Welfare of Sheep and Cattle 27 Section 8: Exotic/Luxury Animal Products and the Welfare of Other Farmed Animals 31 Section 9: The Welfare of Farmed Fish 34 Section 10: Livestock Markets, Transport and Slaughter 37 Antibiotics in Livestock Production 41 Supermarket Sales of Organic Animal Products 42 The Ideal Welfare-Friendly Supermarket of the Future 43 Compassionate Supermarket of the Year CIWF Trust Recommendations for Progress 48 4

5 CIWF TRUST SURVEY OF SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON FARM ANIMAL WELFARE Marek Spinka Introduction The welfare of farm animals is recognised as an important public and political issue in the UK and Europe. The past two decades have seen farm animals recognised as sentient beings in European Union (EU) law and the introduction of some welcome legislation to counter Free-range pigs some of the worst excesses of factory farming. Narrow veal crates for calves and sow stalls for pregnant pigs have both been banned in the UK. Yet the vast majority of farm animals are still kept indoors in highly intensive systems. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the way in which farm animals are treated. With most of the nation s food shopping now taking place in supermarkets, the multiple retailers have become the main link between the farm and the food we put into our shopping baskets. Compassion in World Farming Trust (CIWF Trust) has carried out this survey of supermarket standards and performance on farm animal welfare in order to raise those standards and to inform consumers about how their food is produced. Supermarkets have enormous influence over the animal welfare standards adopted in the production of the meat, milk and eggs they sell. Their dominant force in the UK retail sector and consequent buying power means that supermarkets have the ability to impose tight requirements on how food is produced. They also have tremendous scope for promoting one product over another, using mechanisms such as price promotions, in-store product positioning, labelling, and publicity or customer information campaigns. The first CIWF Trust Raising the Standard survey was conducted in 2001 and sought to benchmark the UK s leading supermarkets on farm animal welfare standards. This was achieved by issuing a questionnaire on key areas of animal welfare to the ten biggest UK supermarkets. The survey has been repeated biennially as part of an ongoing project that aims to track progress and commitment to these standards in order to improve the lives of farm animals. It also highlights the need for greater attention to welfare standards as part of each company s corporate responsibility for social issues. Grateful thanks are extended to each company for its help and co-operation with the 2005 survey: ASDA, The Co-operative Group (Co-op), Marks & Spencer (M&S), Sainsbury s, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose. Wm Morrison s Stores and Iceland Foods were unable to participate in this round of the survey due to ongoing restructuring. CIWF Trust s Raising the Standard initiative supports supermarket best practice on farm animal welfare and consumer choice by: Tracking and benchmarking supermarket commitment and progress on key areas of animal welfare concern, thereby providing a comparative set of data to inform future retail strategy on farm animal welfare standards. Rewarding progress and best practice on animal welfare by ensuring public recognition for improvements made and strides taken, something that has all too often gone unnoticed in the past. Highlighting areas where animal welfare standards need improvement. Informing consumers about the welfare standards employed by the supermarket at which they shop. Seeking to re-establish ethical standards of farm animal welfare as an alternative to price-based competition whereby companies vie to see who can sell food for the lowest price. In short, this Raising the Standard supermarket survey is an integral part of Compassion in World Farming s campaign for humane food and farming. 5

6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Battery hens Although the 2005 Raising the Standard survey has revealed a continuing trend towards sales of free-range eggs, it has also identified areas that need further progress by the UK s major supermarkets. Progress is urgently needed to raise welfare standards for pigs, poultry reared for meat and farmed fish. Maximum transport times for poultry travelling to slaughter need to be reduced further. The Welfare of Egg-Laying Hens Battery cages for laying hens are to be banned across the European Union (EU) from Supermarkets have an important role to play in preventing this major welfare reform from being undermined by imports of eggs that do not meet EU welfare standards. Marks & Spencer was the first UK supermarket to sell only free-range eggs, both in shell and as egg ingredient in its entire range of processed foods and ready-made meals. Waitrose sells only non-cage eggs in shell and now uses only free-range eggs in their own-label processed foods and ready-made meals. Non-cage eggs now make up over 50% of shell egg sales for all supermarkets surveyed, except Somerfield. In a very welcome move, The Co-operative Group has set a target date of 2007 to stop selling caged shell eggs. CIWF urges all supermarkets that have not already done so to stop selling battery eggs. The Welfare of Broiler (Meat) Chickens Most supermarkets allow chickens reared intensively for meat to be stocked at densities that exceed government guidelines. Broiler chickens are often kept in their thousands in windowless sheds at such high stocking densities that they soon carpet the Crowded broiler (meat) chicken shed floor. Stocking densities are often expressed in terms of the number of kilograms of birds reared per square metre of floor space. UK government guidelines specify a maximum of 34 kg/m 2. Waitrose has now followed the lead of Marks & Spencer in stipulating this maximum, which CIWF Trust believes is itself too high. All other supermarkets will accept chickens kept at stocking densities up to 38 kg/m 2, thereby exceeding government guidelines. The majority of chickens sold by most UK supermarkets are intensively reared, including over 90% of chickens sold by ASDA, The Co-operative Group, Somerfield and Tesco. Consumers wishing to buy more humanely reared chicken can choose free-range or organic options. All of the supermarkets questioned sell some free-range and/or organic chickens. Around a third of the chickens sold by Waitrose come from these higher welfare systems. Modern broiler chickens have been bred to grow so quickly that they reach slaughter weight in just 6 weeks. Often their bones cannot keep pace, causing many to suffer painful and crippling lameness. The vast 6

7 majority of chickens sold by ASDA, Somerfield and Tesco are fast-growing strains. Marks & Spencer is the first supermarket to achieve 100% of their chicken coming from a slower-growing strain. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to insist on reduced stocking densities for indoor-reared broiler chickens, to encourage the use of slower-growing strains, and to promote greater sales of free-range and organic chickens. The Welfare of Other Poultry The majority of turkeys sold by UK supermarkets are intensively reared, including over 90% of those sold by ASDA, Sainsbury s and Somerfield. All of the supermarkets surveyed sell some free-range and/or organic turkeys. Around a third of the turkeys sold by Marks & Spencer are reared in these more humane systems. Intensively reared turkeys The majority of ducks farmed for the major UK supermarkets are intensively reared, including all of those sold by ASDA and Marks & Spencer. Only Waitrose sells 100% free-range ducks. All of the geese sold by most supermarkets are free-range. Sainsbury s is the only supermarket selling intensively reared geese. The vast majority of ducks and geese reared for UK supermarkets are denied access to open water that would allow them to perform their natural behaviours. One notable exception is that all geese reared for Marks & Spencer are provided with sufficient water to allow them to swim. Some of the ducks reared for Sainsbury s and Somerfield do not even have access to water in which they can immerse their heads. This is essential to ensure good eye health and to allow the birds to maintain their plumage in good condition. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to insist that farmed ducks and geese are provided with access to open water, and to promote greater sales of free-range and organic poultry. The Welfare of Pigs Sainsbury s and Somerfield are still selling some pig meat under their own label that is imported from stall systems. In these systems, sows are confined in stalls that are so narrow they are unable to exercise or turn around throughout their fourmonth pregnancy. Sow stalls have been banned in the UK Sows confined in stalls on cruelty grounds. Most companies did not supply data for branded pig meat on this issue. At the end of their pregnancy, most breeding sows still give birth and nurse their piglets in narrow farrowing crates. These systems are equally as restricting as sow stalls, but remain legal in the UK. 70% or more of the pig meat sold by ASDA, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury s, Somerfield and Tesco comes from the offspring of mothering sows kept in narrow farrowing crates. All of the own-label pig meat sold by Waitrose and over half of that sold by The Co-operative Group is produced using more humane outdoor farrowing systems without crates. CIWF Trust believes the rearing system with the highest welfare potential for pigs is a well-managed outdoor farm. Waitrose is the first UK supermarket to source all of their own-label pig meat from systems where the sows are kept outdoors. The European Union Directive on pigs requires, as of January 2003, the provision of manipulable material such as straw for pigs. Tail-docking is also not permitted to be undertaken routinely. The 2005 survey 7

8 reveals that serious breaches of this legislation are still commonplace. Despite a ban on routine tail-docking of piglets, 80% or more of the pig meat sold by all of the supermarkets surveyed still comes from pigs that have been tail-docked. 40% or more of rearing pigs and some sows for The Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury s, Somerfield and Tesco are not provided with manipulable material. The Welfare of Farmed Fish Dairy cattle housed in cubicles CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to stop selling pig meat from stall systems, to push for a reduction in levels of tail-docking by insisting that all pigs are provided with manipulable material such as straw, and to promote greater sales of outdoor-reared pig meat. The Welfare of Sheep and Cattle Marks & Spencer is the only supermarket not selling any lamb, beef or milk from animals that have been kept permanently indoors in zerograzing systems. Somerfield is the only supermarket selling meat from lambs that have been subjected to mulesing. This is a painful mutilation in which the skin is cut away from the rump and is usually carried out without anaesthetic or pain relief. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to insist that all sheep and cattle are provided with access to the outdoors, at least during the grazing season, and to refuse to stock meat from lambs that have been subjected to mulesing. Salmon farm Most farmed fish sold in UK supermarkets have been reared at stocking densities too high for good welfare and are often killed using methods that are unacceptable on welfare grounds. There has been some welcome progress on the welfare of trout at slaughter by many of the major supermarkets. The Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer, Somerfield and Tesco have all now matched Waitrose in achieving 100% of their trout being killed using more humane methods involving percussive or electrical stunning. The Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose remain the only supermarkets to have achieved all of their salmon being killed by more humane methods. Around a third of farmed salmon for all of the other supermarkets surveyed are still being killed by gassing with carbon dioxide, a method condemned on welfare grounds. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to insist on reduced stocking densities and humane slaughter methods for all of their farmed fish. 8

9 Transport of Farm Animals Exotic and Luxury Animal Products Millions of farm animals are transported over long distances across Europe, simply to be slaughtered at journey s end. To protect their welfare, animals should be transported over the shortest possible distances. In principle, animals for slaughter should be killed at the Sheep on transport vehicle nearest available abattoir. CIWF Trust believes that maximum journey times should be no more than 8 hours for mammals and 4 hours for birds. All of the supermarkets questioned set a maximum journey time of 8 hours or less for red meat animals travelling to slaughter. Maximum journey times for poultry are generally set far too high, with most companies allowing journeys of up to 8 hours and in some cases 12 hours. No supermarket has set an acceptable maximum journey time for spent laying hens, with several companies allowing journeys of up to 12 hours or not specifying any maximum at all. The Co-operative Group sets the highest standards overall, with journeys of no more than 6 hours to slaughter allowed for all species except laying hens. Despite the long journeys allowed for the majority of poultry by most supermarkets, it is reassuring that the actual average journey times to slaughter are generally much lower than the maximums set for both red meat animals and poultry. Except in the case of spent laying hens, average journey times for all supermarkets do not exceed 4 hours for any species. Force feeding for foie gras production Exotic and luxury animal products are often produced in ways that cause immense suffering. Examples include force-feeding geese and ducks to produce abnormally large livers (foie gras), and cutting the legs from live frogs (frogs legs). Exotic meats are produced from the farming of essentially wild animals such as ostrich or emu. Most of the supermarkets surveyed do not sell foie gras, frogs legs or exotic meats. Sainsbury s is the only supermarket still selling foie gras. CIWF Trust congratulates those supermarkets that do not sell foie gras, frogs legs or exotic meats and urges any supermarkets still selling these products to stop doing so. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to reduce maximum permitted journey times for animals travelling to slaughter to no more than 8 hours for mammals and 4 hours for birds. 9

10 OVERALL PERFORMANCE ON FARM ANIMAL WELFARE Joanna Lumley presents the CIWF Compassionate Supermarket of the Year award to Waitrose CIWF Trust is seeking to compare the overall performance of the major UK supermarkets and to monitor their progress toward higher standards of farm animal welfare. The supermarkets have therefore been ranked on their responses to the questions, reflecting their performance on key indicators of animal welfare. These key indicators are based on the elements identified by CIWF Trust as part of its vision of the ideal welfare-friendly supermarket. A table is presented on page 47, showing the overall welfare performance ranking for each company. Waitrose achieved the highest overall score, with a total of 49.3 out of a possible 60 points, and receives the CIWF Compassionate Supermarket of the Year award. This year s survey was a very close-run competition, with Marks & Spencer finishing less than 2 points behind the leader. The Co-operative Group has significantly closed the gap on the top two supermarkets, with less than 5 points now separating the top three. In recognition of this, The Co-operative Group receives the award for Most Improved Supermarket The top 5 supermarkets in 2005, in order of farm animal welfare performance, are Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, The Cooperative Group, Tesco, and Sainsbury s. Marks & Spencer receives the award for Investment and Innovation in Farm Animal Welfare Research for their development of the Oakham chicken, which has allowed them to convert all of their chicken meat production to using this slowergrowing strain. Slower-growing chickens are less susceptible to the serious welfare problems associated with modern strains of broiler chickens bred for fast growth rates. 10

11 SUPERMARKETS AND FARM ANIMAL WELFARE SURVEY RESULTS 2005 The main findings of the 2005 survey are presented here, together with a brief outline of each animal welfare issue. These results will be compared with the results of the previous Raising the Standard surveys conducted in 2001 and 2003 to gauge supermarket progress on these issues. The information was received directly from supermarkets via questionnaire during the period May-October Key The following symbols and terms appear in the tables: N/a means not applicable - this generally means that the company concerned does not sell the product or item? means that no data was supplied by the supermarket on that item The questions and answers incorporated into the final scoring are highlighted in bold type in the tables SUPERMARKET SALES OF OWN LABEL AND FARM ASSURED LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS Own label Livestock Products Supermarket products are usually sold either with the company s own label or under that of a branded supplier. Table 1 shows that the vast majority of fresh and frozen meat, fresh milk and shell eggs sold in supermarkets is sold under company own labels. Supermarkets have direct control over the standards used to rear animals destined for sale under their own label, and have a greater capacity to set higher standards if they so choose. Farm Assured Livestock Products CIWF Trust s research has shown that the animal welfare standards set by most farm assurance schemes are inadequate, and farm assured cannot therefore be said to assure good welfare. Table 2 shows that the vast majority of fresh meat, milk and eggs sold in supermarkets is produced under nationally recognised farm assurance schemes. This presents an opportunity for supermarkets to work together with the assurance scheme certification bodies to encourage the raising of animal welfare standards within the schemes. 11

12 TABLE 1: SUPERMARKET SALES OF OWN LABEL LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS % Sales volume sold under own label rather than supplier s brand label ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Shell eggs Chicken meat Turkey, duck and goose Pig meat Sheep meat Beef Fresh milk Question asked: What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of shell eggs, fresh and frozen meat and fresh milk is sold as own label/own brand product rather than under the supplier s brand label? TABLE 2: SUPERMARKET SALES OF FARM ASSURED LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS % Sales volume produced under nationally recognised farm assurance schemes ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Shell eggs Chicken meat Turkey, duck and goose Pigmeat Sheep meat Beef Fresh milk Question asked: 12 What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of fresh and frozen meat, fresh milk and shell eggs is produced under nationally recognised farm assurance schemes (e.g. Assured British Meat, Scottish Food Quality Certification, Farm Assured Welsh Livestock, Assured Chicken Production, National Dairy Farm Assured, BEIC Lion Quality, or other recognised schemes operating to equivalent standards)?

13 SECTION 1: SUPERMARKET POLICY ON FARM ANIMAL WELFARE All of the supermarkets questioned have a written animal welfare policy and a board level representative with specific responsibility for this issue. CIWF Trust believes these are good indicators of the seriousness of a company s commitment to farm animal welfare. However, in most cases these policies are not sufficiently detailed and/or do not include specific targets for improvements in farm animal welfare. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to produce a detailed policy on farm animal welfare, highlighting areas where they seek to make improvements and timescales for these. Every supermarket questioned has a policy that imported meat, milk and eggs must meet the same animal welfare standards as those produced domestically. However, it is clear from the data in this survey that in many cases these standards are below minimum UK legislative standards. As UK and European legislation continue to raise farm animal welfare standards, it is becoming increasingly important that supermarkets insist that imported products meet the same welfare standards. For example, when the ban on barren battery cages for laying hens comes into force across the EU in 2012 it is essential that the ban is not undermined by imports of cheaper eggs produced to lower welfare standards. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to make a firm policy commitment not to accept imported animal products produced in systems that have been outlawed in the UK/EU on cruelty grounds. It is also essential that policies on animal transport apply equally to imported meat as to that produced domestically. All supermarkets except ASDA and Somerfield apply the same policy on transport to imported meat. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to apply the same standards for the transport of animals outside the UK. Most of the supermarkets surveyed have their own standards for the catching of poultry, although some use the standards set by the national farm assurance scheme, Assured Chicken Production. In most cases these standards allow birds to be caught and carried by a single leg and do not place a limit on the number of birds that can be carried in one hand. This can lead to many birds being injured during catching. Co-op is the only supermarket to set higher standards, insisting that birds must not be carried by one leg. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to follow their example in order to improve the welfare of poultry during catching. The genetic engineering of farm animals, for example, to grow faster, bigger or leaner, threatens to unleash a new wave of serious welfare problems by pushing animals to ever more extreme and unsustainable levels of Animal Aid production. CIWF Trust believes it is important that supermarkets have a clear policy not to stock produce from genetically engineered animals. Table 3 reveals that all of the supermarkets questioned have such a policy in place. However, in many cases this policy only applies to own label products. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to extend this commitment to included branded products. CIWF Trust welcomes the fact that no supermarkets report selling dairy products from cows treated with the genetically engineered production enhancer, Bovine Somatotropin (BST). Although banned from sale in the EU, BST could have been used on imported dairy produce (e.g. from the United States). ASDA Co-op A catcher carries handfuls of chickens suspended by one leg 13

14 TABLE 3: SUPERMARKET POLICIES ON FARM ANIMAL WELFARE ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Board or executive member for animal welfare? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Written corporate animal Have policy Policy but Detailed Policy with Policy but Policy but Policy but welfare policy? but not no clear policy with clear targets no clear no clear no clear supplied targets clear targets targets targets targets Same animal welfare standards for imported products? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Same policy for transport Complies outside the UK? with national Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes legislation Welfare policy covering poultry Basic (ACP*) Chickens Basic Basic Basic (ACP*) Basic Basic catching/ transport? standards must not be standards standards standards standards standards carried by a single leg Policy not to stock products from Yes (own Yes Yes Yes (own Yes (own Yes (own Yes genetically engineered/cloned label only) label only) label only) label only) animals (including descendents)? % Dairy products produced using BST Questions asked: Has your company appointed a main Board/Executive member with specific responsibility for farm animal welfare? Does your company have a written corporate farm animal welfare policy with objectives? (Copy of policy requested) Does your company have any policy that imported meat/dairy/egg products are produced from animals reared to the same welfare standards as those produced nationally? Does your company s policy on maximum journey times apply equally to meat imported from animals being transported for slaughter in non-uk countries as well as the UK? Does your company have a welfare policy covering the catching of poultry and subsequent transport? (Copy of policy requested) Does your company have a policy commitment not to stock any meat, milk and eggs from farm animals subject to genetic engineering, and if so, does this i. apply equally to branded as well as own label products, and ii. include a commitment not to stock products from the progeny or descendants of animals subjected to genetic engineering or cloning? Of your company s total UK sales volume of dairy products (both own label and branded), including ice cream, what proportion has been produced using the genetically engineered growth hormone, Bovine Somatotropin (BST)? * Assured Chicken Production standards 14

15 SECTION 2: SUPERMARKET INVESTMENT IN FARM ANIMAL WELFARE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT WORK The commitment to improving animal welfare standards demonstrated by some supermarkets through their investment in research and development work is very encouraging. Most supermarkets were unable to provide an accurate figure for the amount invested in animal welfare research over the past 12 months. However, Co-op, M&S, Tesco and Waitrose were able to provide details of projects that they have participated in through providing funding or technical staff. CIWF Trust welcomes the investment by these supermarkets in animal welfare research and urges all supermarkets to follow their lead and take a more active role in improving animal welfare. TABLE 4: SUPERMARKET INVESTMENT IN IMPROVING FARM ANIMAL WELFARE ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Investment in farm animal No Significant Significant Advisory No Significant Significant welfare research/development investment investment investment contracts but investment investment investment in past 12 months (>10 (>10 no specific (>10 (>10 projects) projects) research projects) projects) Question asked: Please provide details of research projects on farm animal welfare that your company is currently participating in, or has participated in over the past 12 months, as a strategic partner (by providing either funding or technical staff)? CIWF Trust was particularly impressed with the work carried out by M&S in the development of the Oakham chicken. This has allowed them to convert all of their chicken meat production to using this slower-growing strain. Slower-growing chickens are less susceptible to the serious welfare problems associated with modern strains of broiler chickens bred for fast growth rates. In recognition of this work, M&S win the CIWF Trust award for Investment and Innovation in Farm Animal Welfare Research M&S state that part of the strategy in developing the Oakham chicken was for improvements in leg health through breeding and nutrition aimed at achieving a slower growth rate. Since the Oakham was introduced they have noted a marked improvement in overall bird leg health and this is reflected in the levels of lameness reported in this survey, which are the lowest of any supermarket surveyed (see section 4). Andrew Sachs presents the CIWF award for Investment and Innovation in Farm Animal Welfare Research to Marks and Spencer 15

16 SECTION 3: THE WELFARE OF LAYING HENS Battery cages are tiny barren cages in which laying hens are unable to move about properly, stretch, flap their wings, or even turn around without difficulty. Hens in battery cages are prevented from carrying out most normal patterns of behaviour including foraging, perching, dust-bathing and laying their eggs in a nest, resulting in severe frustration. This system has been the subject of many years of intense public and political campaigning by CIWF and other organisations, which resulted in the EU agreeing to prohibit barren battery cages from Supermarkets have an important role to play in preventing this major welfare reform from being undermined by imports of eggs that do not meet EU welfare standards. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets that have not already done so to stop selling battery eggs and to only use non-cage eggs in their processed foods and ready-made meals. Marks & Spencer was the first UK supermarket to sell only free-range eggs, both in shell and as egg ingredient in its entire range of processed foods and ready-made meals. The 2005 survey has revealed a continuing trend towards non-cage eggs. Table 5 shows that non-cage eggs now make up over 50% of shell egg sales for all supermarkets surveyed, except Somerfield. Waitrose sells only non-cage eggs in shell and now uses only free-range eggs in all of their own-label processed foods and ready-made meals. In a very welcome move, The Co-op has set a target date of 2007 to stop selling caged shell eggs. When the EU ban on barren battery cages comes into force, CIWF Trust is concerned that the industry will turn to using so-called enriched cages. These contain a nest, litter and low perches but fail to overcome many of the welfare problems inherent in the battery cage system. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to follow the lead of M&S, Waitrose and Co-op in adopting a policy of not selling eggs produced in enriched cages. The vast majority of eggs sold by most UK supermarkets come from hens that have been beak-trimmed. This involves amputating up to a third of the beak and is carried out to help prevent damaging feather-pecking and cannibalism. Feather-pecking is thought by scientists to be re-directed ground pecking resulting from the lack of opportunity for hens to engage in Beak-trimming of a chick natural foraging behaviour, which would take up a large part of their time in a natural environment. Waitrose is the only supermarket to achieve a significant proportion (around half) of hens not being subjected to this painful mutilation. Vicky Alhadef 16 Free-range hens

17 TABLE 5: SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON THE WELFARE OF LAYING HENS % Shell eggs produced in each system: ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Barren battery cage Enriched cage Barn Free-range/organic Target date for selling only Target Achieved Achieved non-cage shell eggs? No No No No 1999 Policy of not selling eggs produced in enriched cages? No Yes Yes No No No Yes % Own label processed eggcontaining foods made using non-cage eggs < Target date for using only Achieved non-cage egg ingredient in Achieved (own label processed foods? No No 2003 No No No only) % Hens beak-trimmed % Battery eggs clearly labelled N/a 100 Most 100 N/a Questions asked: What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of shell eggs (both own label and branded) is produced in i. conventional battery cages, ii. enriched cages, iii. barn systems, iv. free-range systems? Has your company set a target date by which it intends to cease selling both own label and branded battery eggs? Of your company s total UK sales volume of own label processed and ready-made meal products containing egg ingredient, what proportion currently uses egg ingredient from non-cage alternatives (barn, free-range, organic)? Has your company set a target date by which it intends to use only non-cage egg ingredient throughout its total UK sales volume of processed and ready-made meals containing egg ingredient? Does your company have a policy of not stocking eggs (both own label and branded) produced in furnished cages? What proportion of battery egg packs (both own label and branded) sold in your company s stores is labelled using the clear, factual labelling term Eggs from Caged Hens? 17

18 SECTION 4: THE WELFARE OF BROILER (MEAT) CHICKENS Free-range broiler (meat) chickens 18 In terms of the number of individual animals produced annually, broiler chickens reared for meat represent the largest area of factory farming in the UK. The vast majority of the 800 million broiler chickens reared each year in the UK are crammed together, many thousands of birds in each barren shed. They are kept at such high stocking densities that the birds quickly carpet the floor of the shed. Stocking densities for broiler chickens are often expressed in terms of the number of kilograms of birds reared per square metre of floor space. UK government guidelines specify a maximum of 34 kg/m 2. CIWF Trust believes this is set much too high for good welfare. However, table 6 shows that most supermarkets will accept chickens crammed at stocking densities of 38 kg/m 2. Waitrose have now joined M&S in insisting that their suppliers meet the government guidelines on stocking density. Sainsbury s require their suppliers to plan to maintain a stocking density of 34 kg/m 2, although they allow this to be exceeded up to a maximum of 38 kg/m 2 on a temporary basis. Table 6 reveals that the majority of chickens sold by most UK supermarkets are intensively reared, including over 90% of chickens sold by ASDA, Co-op, Somerfield and Tesco. Consumers can choose a more humanely reared bird by buying free-range or organically produced chickens. All of the supermarkets surveyed report selling these alternatives and nearly a third of the chickens sold by Waitrose come from these higher welfare systems. M&S is the first supermarket to stop selling standard intensively reared chicken, with most of their chicken now coming from semi-intensive indoor systems. Broiler chickens have been bred to grow so quickly that they reach slaughter weight in just 6 weeks. Often their bones, heart and lungs cannot keep pace, causing many to suffer painful and crippling lameness or heart failure. A technique called gait scoring can be used to assess the degree of lameness. The higher the score, the more lame the bird, with a score of 5 indicating that the bird is barely able to move around. Birds with a gait score of 3 to 5 are likely to be in considerable pain and recent evidence suggests that all birds with a gait score of 1 or above are likely to experience pain. All of the supermarkets surveyed now insist that their suppliers keep records of lameness, although some only record severe cases (gait score 3-5). Slower-growing breeds of chicken are less susceptible to lameness and heart failure. The vast majority of chickens sold by ASDA, Somerfield and Tesco are fast-growing strains. Around a quarter of birds sold by Co-op and Waitrose, and over 80% of those sold by Sainsbury s, are slower-growing. M&S is the first supermarket to achieve 100% of their chicken coming from a slower-growing strain and this is reflected in the fact that they have the lowest levels of lameness of all the supermarkets surveyed (0.18%). Lame broiler (meat) chicken

19 TABLE 6: SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON THE WELFARE OF BROILER CHICKENS % Fresh and frozen chicken from broilers reared in each system: Max. stocking density (kg/m 2 ): % Slower growing breeds: ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Intensive Semi-intensive (e.g. Freedom Food) Free-range/ organic 3 < Planned maximum Absolute maximum Slower-growing traditional breeds < Slower-growing modern hybrids % Birds with hock burn? <10? < Suppliers required to keep records of Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes lameness?? (GS 1-5) (GS 3-5) (GS 3-5) (GS 1-5) (GS 3-5) (GS 1-5) % Birds with lameness in past 12 months Gait score (GS) 1-2? <5 (GS 1-5,?? <5? <1 estimate 2 (GS 1-5) Gait score (GS) 3-5? GS 3-5) 0.18 < Questions asked: Of the total UK sales volume (both own label and branded) of fresh and frozen chicken sold by your company (both whole birds and chicken joints), what proportion is made up of i. standard intensively reared broiler chickens, ii. semi-intensively reared broiler chickens (e.g. Freedom Food), iii. free-range broiler chickens, and iv. organically reared broiler chickens? What are the maximum planned and absolute broiler chicken stocking densities permitted by your company for its suppliers of own label chicken (both UK-produced and imported)? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen chicken (both whole birds and chicken joints) is produced from i. traditional slower-growing breeds, and ii. slower-growing modern hybrids? What was the average level (%) of hock burn marking found on own label broiler chickens supplied to your company in the UK during the past 12 months? Does your company require its suppliers of own label chicken to keep comprehensive records of the percentage of each flock affected by lameness to i. gait score 1-2, and ii. gait score 3-5 (including those culled)? What was the average percentage of each flock affected by lameness to i. gait score 1-2, and ii. gait score 3-5 (including those culled) on your suppliers farms during the past 12 months? 19

20 SECTION 5: THE WELFARE OF TURKEYS, DUCKS AND GEESE Turkeys are reared in similar conditions to broiler chickens and suffer from the same welfare problems associated with fast growth rates. Table 7 shows that the majority of turkeys sold by UK supermarkets are intensively reared, including over 90% of those sold by ASDA, Sainsbury s and Somerfield. All of the supermarkets surveyed sell some free-range and/or organic turkeys and nearly a third of the turkeys sold by M&S come from these more humane systems. Most supermarkets report selling some slower-growing turkeys, including over a fifth of those sold by Co-op, M&S and Tesco. Co-op and Waitrose are the only supermarkets selling traditional breeds of turkey that are much slower-growing than conventional modern strains. TABLE 7: SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON THE WELFARE OF TURKEYS Free-range turkeys ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose % Fresh and frozen turkeys reared in each system: Intensive Semi-intensive (e.g. Freedom Food/ pole barn) Free-range/organic 2 < % Turkeys beak-trimmed? % Slower growing breeds: Slower-growing traditional breeds Slower-growing modern hybrids Questions asked: Of the total UK sales volume (both own label and branded) of fresh and frozen turkey sold by your company (both whole birds and turkey joints), what proportion is made up of i. standard intensively reared turkeys ii. semi-intensively reared turkeys (e.g. Freedom Food/pole barn reared) iii. free-range turkeys and iv. organically reared turkeys? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen turkey (both whole birds and turkey joints) is produced from birds that have been beak-trimmed (including that proportion of birds for which the procedure was carried out on veterinary advice)? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen turkey (both whole birds and turkey joints) is produced from i. traditional slower-growing breeds, and ii. slower-growing modern hybrids?

21 Table 8 shows that the majority of ducks farmed for the major UK supermarkets are also reared intensively, including all of those sold by ASDA and Marks & Spencer. Waitrose is the only supermarket selling 100% free-range ducks. Table 9 shows that the situation is rather better for geese - all of the geese sold by most supermarkets are reared in freerange systems. Sainsbury s is the only supermarket selling intensively reared geese. CIWF Trust welcomes the fact that no supermarkets report selling meat from bill-trimmed ducks. Intensively reared ducks TABLE 8: SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON THE WELFARE OF DUCKS % Fresh and frozen ducks reared in each system: % Ducks provided with sufficient water to do the following: ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Intensive 100 < Semi-intensive (e.g. Freedom Food) Free-range/organic Immerse head Varies Swim % Ducks bill-trimmed Questions asked: Of the total UK sales volume of fresh and frozen farmed duck (both own label and branded) sold by your company, what proportion is made up of i. intensively reared ducks, ii. semi-intensively reared ducks (e.g. Freedom Food), and iii. free-range ducks? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen farmed ducks were provided with access to sufficient water to allow them to i. immerse their head and ii. swim? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of fresh and frozen farmed ducks (both own label and branded) was billtrimmed during rearing? 21

22 TABLE 9: SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON THE WELFARE OF GEESE % Fresh and frozen geese reared in each system: % Geese provided with sufficient water to do the following: ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose Intensive Semi-intensive (e.g. Freedom Food) Free-range/organic < Immerse head Swim Questions asked: Of the total UK sales volume of fresh and frozen goose (both own label and branded) sold by your company, what proportion is made up of i. intensively reared geese ii. semi-intensively reared geese (e.g. Freedom Food) and iii. free-range geese? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen farmed geese were provided with access to sufficient water to allow them to i. immerse their head and ii. swim? The vast majority of ducks and geese reared for UK supermarkets are denied access to open water that would allow them to perform their natural behaviours. One notable exception is that all geese reared for M&S are provided with sufficient water to allow them to swim. Some of the ducks reared for Sainsbury s and Somerfield do not even have access to water in which they can immerse their heads. This is essential to ensure good eye health and to allow the birds to maintain their plumage in good condition. Free-range geese 22

23 SECTION 6: THE WELFARE OF PIGS Breeding Sows In 1999, the UK banned the use of narrow sow stalls and tethers for pregnant pigs. In this system, sows spend their four-month pregnancy caged in a narrow stall or chained in a row by a heavy tether. The EU has agreed to ban the prolonged use of sow stalls from 2013, whilst tethering will be illegal from CIWF Trust believes it is unacceptable for UK supermarkets to sell pig meat produced in a system that has been banned here on cruelty grounds. This survey found that Sainsbury s and Somerfield are still selling a small proportion of stall-produced pig meat under their own label. Most companies did not supply data for branded pig meat. At the end of their pregnancy, most breeding sows still give birth and nurse their piglets in narrow farrowing crates. These systems are equally as restricting as sow stalls, but remain legal in the UK. Table 10 shows that 70% or more of the pig meat sold by ASDA, M&S, Sainsbury s, Somerfield and Tesco comes from the offspring of mothering sows kept in narrow farrowing crates. However, all Sow confined in a farrowing crate supermarkets sell some pig meat produced using more humane non-crate indoor systems or outdoor farrowing without crates. Over half of the own label pig meat sold by Co-op is produced using outdoor farrowing systems without crates and Waitrose is the first supermarket to achieve all sows farrowing in these more humane systems. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to encourage their suppliers to abandon the use of farrowing crates altogether. Bedding material such as straw is important for the welfare of sows, both for comfort and because they naturally spend a large proportion of their time rooting around, chewing and investigating their surroundings. EU law now requires sows to be provided with manipulable material such as straw to give them the opportunity to fulfil these behavioural needs. This survey reveals that most supermarkets allow some sows to be reared without access to such material, including nearly a third of sows for M&S. ASDA and Waitrose are the only supermarkets ensuring that all sows are provided with material such as straw. Marek Spinka Sows and their piglets in a strawbedded indoor system 23

24 TABLE 10: SUPERMARKET PERFORMANCE ON THE WELFARE OF BREEDING SOWS ASDA Co-op M&S Sainsbury s Somerfield Tesco Waitrose % Fresh and frozen pig meat produced from progeny of sows kept in stalls/tethers 0* 0* 0 4* 7.5* 0* 0* % Pig meat ingredient produced from progeny of sows kept in stalls/tethers? 0 0? % Pig meat produced using each farrowing system: Close confinement farrowing crate Non-crate alternative indoor system Outdoor farrowing without crates % Pig meat produced from progeny of sows provided with the following: Bedding material Toys instead of bedding material No bedding material or toys % Pig meat produced from progeny of sows kept outdoors % Outdoor sows nose-ringed? Questions asked: What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of fresh and frozen pig meat (both own label and branded) is produced from the progeny of breeding sows kept in stall or tether systems? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label ready meals containing pig meat ingredient is produced using pig meat from the progeny of breeding sows kept in stall or tether systems? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen pig meat is produced using the following farrowing systems for farrowing and lactating sows: i. close confinement farrowing crates, ii. non-crate indoor alternatives whereby sows can turn around, iii. outdoor farrowing without crates? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen pig meat is produced from sows provided with the following: i. natural bedding material in sufficient quantities to allow rooting and foraging behaviour, e.g. straw/wood shavings, ii. no bedding material but toys provided, e.g. footballs/chains, iii. no bedding material or toys? What proportion of your company s total UK sales volume of own label fresh and frozen pig meat is produced from breeding sows kept outdoors? What proportion of outdoor kept sows for your company is nose-ringed? * Data refers to own label product only

25 CIWF Trust believes the rearing system with the highest welfare potential for pigs is a well-managed outdoor farm. All supermarkets sell some outdoor-bred pig meat. Waitrose is the first UK supermarket to source all of their own-label pig meat from systems where the sows are kept outdoors. Unfortunately, some outdoor-kept sows are nose-ringed for all supermarkets surveyed, including 90% of outdoor sows for M&S. This prevents sows from rooting and exploring their environment properly. Growing pigs in a barren indoor system Pigs Reared for Slaughter Bedding material is also important for pigs reared for slaughter to allow the animals to exercise their exploratory behaviours. Where suitable natural material is not provided, the barren environment can lead to piglets biting each other s tails. Tail-docking is used to help prevent tailbiting. Scientific and practical evidence shows that by keeping pigs in better conditions, the perceived need for tail docking can be eliminated. The EU Directive on pigs requires, as of January 2003, the provision of manipulable materials such as straw for pigs. Tail-docking is also not permitted to be undertaken routinely and producers must take steps to improve the environment for pigs before resorting to tail-docking to control tail-biting. This survey reveals that serious breaches of this legislation are still commonplace. Despite a ban on routine tail-docking of piglets, 80% or more of the pig meat sold by all of the supermarkets surveyed still comes from pigs that have been tail-docked. 40% or more of pigs reared for Co-op, M&S, Sainsbury, Somerfield and Tesco are not provided with manipulable material. CIWF Trust believes that not only is this in itself breaching the law, it also makes it clear that many producers are not even taking the most obvious action to improve the pigs environment before resorting to tail-docking. Table 11 shows that ASDA and Waitrose are the only supermarkets ensuring that all pigs are provided with straw or other suitable material. CIWF Trust urges all supermarkets to insist that suppliers comply with the law by providing pigs with manipulable material to create a stimulating environment that eliminates the perceived need for tail-docking. Piglets often have their teeth clipped in an effort to stop injuries from fighting piglets or to the sow s teats and many are also castrated. Castration of piglets is rare in the UK because pigs are slaughtered before they reach sexual maturity, however imported pig meat is often from pigs that have been castrated. A significant proportion of pigs reared for most supermarkets have their teeth clipped and/or have been castrated. Waitrose is the only supermarket not selling pig meat from castrated pigs. 25