I believe it is important to make it easier for the consumer to purchase food that aligns with their values, by improving transparency and providing the industry with a level playing field to promote such products. I understand the majority of consumers do value high standards of animal welfare but this is not always fully reflected in what they purchase.
All food and drink sold on the UK market must comply with current food labelling rules, with the fundamental principle being that information provided to the consumer must not mislead and must enable the safe use of food.
I understand that country of origin information is required for fresh and frozen meat of beef cattle, sheep, goat, pigs and poultry, as well as uncut fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, wine and some fish products. However, country of origin does not provide information on how an animal has been treated or what the environmental standards were in the country it was raised. This means there are imported products in our shops that do not meet UK welfare standards and do not have labels to reflect this. This lack of transparency can both unfairly undercut British farmers and lead to consumers unknowingly purchasing products they deem unethical.
Under the previous Conservative Government, a consultation was launched to make food labelling fairer and clearer, including potential measures to make the labelling on food regarding the 'method of production' clearer. A key part of this is transparent food labelling to allow consumers to see the management systems of the food they buy. The current Labour Government responded to the consultation in June 2025 and confirmed that the Government will "consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the UK Government’s development of an overarching approach to animal welfare and the wider food strategy".
Consumers rightly expect to be able to make informed choices about how the food they buy is produced. However, the Government is being slow to adapt and disappointingly, the Government's Animal Welfare Strategy only contained vague directions on food labelling.
With regard to religious slaughter, while I support the highest standards of animal welfare and would prefer that all animals are stunned prior to slaughter, I recognise the rights of Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat that is killed in accordance with their religious beliefs. However, I do believe meat that has been religiously slaughtered should be clearly labelled as such so non-adherents to those religious beliefs can also make informed choices.
As Andrew Rosindell MP said, speaking then for the Official Opposition,
‘the introduction of a mandatory multi-labelling system that included the method of slaughter would allow the public to make better-informed decisions about the food they consume and give them freedom of choice.’
I am aware religious slaughter is only permitted to be carried out in approved slaughterhouses by licensed slaughterhouse workers and is not permitted in any other place, including for personal consumption. Animal welfare is monitored and enforced in all approved slaughterhouses in England by Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency, including the use of CCTV in all areas where live animals are present. This aims to ensure all animal welfare requirements are met so that animals are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering.
You may be interested in reading the full transcript of the debate held on this issue of transparency and choice in consumer practices and I have provided the link here:
