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Marketing Farm animal welfare



         For a long time legislation has been the commonest way of protecting farm animal
         welfare but more recently growing consumer demand both for quality food products
         and more ethical food production has meant that farm animal welfare is emerging as
         an area of potential added value for producers, retailers and other food chain actors.
         To support chain actors in their efforts, Welfare Quality® has been investigating the
         impact of these new consumer demands, and the current industry responses to them.
         Research carried out by Welfare Quality® in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK,
         France and Italy looked at how animal welfare is mobilised from farm to supermarket
         shelf as a means of both achieving increased product value and broader ethical branding.


         Animal Welfare and product differentiation          In some countries, more than 100 such products
         Two main groups are driving the segmentation of     were identified.
         food products and product ranges on the basis
         of animal welfare:                                  However, Welfare Quality® research also shows
         •  onsumers, seeking to buy products from
           c                                                 that specific welfare conditions are increasingly
           farms with higher standards of welfare.           included as part of quality assurance schemes
         •  ood chain actors (retailers, processors,
           f                                                 used by abattoirs, transporters and farmers.
           manufacturers, producer cooperatives)             This new strategy shows that animal welfare
           exercising and displaying their ethical           is often important for market access and
           responsibilities.                                 that more products conforming to additional
         Welfare Quality® research shows this market         welfare standards are entering the market than
         segmentation operates in two, often related,        a census of only identifiable product labelling
         ways: a) through the use of specific welfare        would suggest. This indicates that animal
         claims on products and, b) the inclusion            welfare is becoming a component of broader
         of welfare conditions within supply chain           notions of quality. It also shows the ethical and
         assurance schemes.                                  quality commitment of food suppliers to their
                                                             consumers.
         Through a detailed inventory and assessment
         of food products with welfare claims                Animal Welfare and product quality
         available to consumers across Europe, Welfare       Despite the growth in the use of welfare
         Quality® research shows significant use of          conditions revealed by our study, there are
         animal welfare as a component of product            very few dedicated animal welfare labelling
         differentiation.                                    schemes. In general, improved animal welfare is
         Statements that are perceived to be linked to       communicated to consumers in three ways:
         animal welfare such as ‘free range’, ‘grass fed’,   •  he active use of animal welfare claims on
                                                               t
         ‘outdoor reared’, ‘absence of growth promoters’       product packaging;
         and ‘slower growth’ are appearing on a large        •  he use of independent labels that support a
                                                               t
         number of animal-based food products.                 particular production system considered to
This research was executed within              offer better welfare to animals;                 health, productivity and product quality,
   the first Subproject of Welfare              •  nd through the bundling of a range
                                                  a                                                and when producers are unable to access
   Quality®.                                      of desirable product qualities implicitly        higher value markets or respond to consumer
   It investigates societal attitudes
                                                  conveyed through a brand.                        demand. In different European countries,
   and practices among consumers,
                                                                                                   Welfare Quality® research has shown how
   farmers and retailers, as they
   impact upon animal welfare.                  Welfare Quality® research shows that               producer groups, manufacturers and retailers
   It assesses to what extent new               while many food producers and suppliers            have responded to this potential in different
   welfare strategies might be                  welcome the growth of welfare conditions           ways, yet a number of common challenges
   achievable in practice. Subproject           as a component of product and brand                remain.
   leader is Unni Kjærnes, Unni.                differentiation, the use of dedicated
   Kjarnes@sifo.no
                                                stand-alone welfare labelling is not widely        Because of the nature of the premium market,
                                                supported. Tighter standards of animal             only some cuts can be sold as premium
                                                welfare are seen as contributing to the            quality products that benefit from value
                                                quality of the product – as well as the quality    addition, so the opportunity remains to find
                                                commitment of the producer and supplier.           a premium market for as many products
                                                That is why animal welfare is usually bundled      as possible from animals produced to high
                                                up with other product ‘qualities’ such as          welfare standards. Assessment procedures,
                                                nature, tradition, environmental benefits, and     critical to the validity of welfare claims, need
                                                organic production, thus appealing to a wide       to be flexible enough to support diverse
                                                range of consumer interests and concerns.          brand demands and encourage welfare
                                                Across Europe, clear differences emerge            improvements throughout the food chain.
                                                with French and Italians often favouring           The Welfare Quality® assessment will offer
                                                gastronomic qualities while the northern           a flexible tool to compliment the market’s
                                                countries more often link welfare with             diverse welfare commitments and, by
                                                environmental concerns.                            introducing animal based parameters, will
                                                                                                   provide greater clarity to welfare claims.
                                                Animal Welfare and added value                     Through appropriate regulation and market
                                                Animal welfare is a component of added             mechanisms working together to raise the
                                                value. Not only can improved animal welfare        welfare quality of European farm animals,
                                                conditions contribute to the generation of         suppliers and consumers alike can benefit.
                                                higher commodity prices, but lower welfare
                                                conditions are proving costly. That cost comes     Dr Emma Roe, E.J.Roe@soton.ac.uk
                                                through harmful effects on the animals’            Prof Henry Buller, H.Buller@exeter.ac.uk




Project Coordinator	
Prof. Dr Harry J. Blokhuis, The Netherlands   Welfare Quality® is a European research project focusing on the integration of animal welfare
harry.blokhuis@hmh.slu.se                     in the food quality chain. The project aims to accommodate societal concerns and market
                                              demands, to develop reliable on-farm monitoring systems, product information systems, and
Project Office Welfare Quality®	              practical species-specific strategies to improve farm animal welfare. Forty-four institutes and
Animal Sciences Group of Wageningen UR
                                              universities, representing thirteen European countries and four Latin American countries,
Postbox 65, 8200 AB Lelystad
                                              participate in this integrated research project.
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 320 293503                         Welfare Quality® is co-financed by the European Commission, within the 6th Framework
Fax: +31 320 238050                           Programme, contract no. FOOD-CT-2004-5065087.
e-mail info@welfarequality.net
                                              The text represents the authors’ views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission
www.welfarequality.net                        who will not be liable for the use made of such information.


                                              Pictures© WUR-ASG, BvBeeld

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Marketing farm animal welfare emma roe

  • 1. Marketing Farm animal welfare For a long time legislation has been the commonest way of protecting farm animal welfare but more recently growing consumer demand both for quality food products and more ethical food production has meant that farm animal welfare is emerging as an area of potential added value for producers, retailers and other food chain actors. To support chain actors in their efforts, Welfare Quality® has been investigating the impact of these new consumer demands, and the current industry responses to them. Research carried out by Welfare Quality® in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK, France and Italy looked at how animal welfare is mobilised from farm to supermarket shelf as a means of both achieving increased product value and broader ethical branding. Animal Welfare and product differentiation In some countries, more than 100 such products Two main groups are driving the segmentation of were identified. food products and product ranges on the basis of animal welfare: However, Welfare Quality® research also shows • onsumers, seeking to buy products from c that specific welfare conditions are increasingly farms with higher standards of welfare. included as part of quality assurance schemes • ood chain actors (retailers, processors, f used by abattoirs, transporters and farmers. manufacturers, producer cooperatives) This new strategy shows that animal welfare exercising and displaying their ethical is often important for market access and responsibilities. that more products conforming to additional Welfare Quality® research shows this market welfare standards are entering the market than segmentation operates in two, often related, a census of only identifiable product labelling ways: a) through the use of specific welfare would suggest. This indicates that animal claims on products and, b) the inclusion welfare is becoming a component of broader of welfare conditions within supply chain notions of quality. It also shows the ethical and assurance schemes. quality commitment of food suppliers to their consumers. Through a detailed inventory and assessment of food products with welfare claims Animal Welfare and product quality available to consumers across Europe, Welfare Despite the growth in the use of welfare Quality® research shows significant use of conditions revealed by our study, there are animal welfare as a component of product very few dedicated animal welfare labelling differentiation. schemes. In general, improved animal welfare is Statements that are perceived to be linked to communicated to consumers in three ways: animal welfare such as ‘free range’, ‘grass fed’, • he active use of animal welfare claims on t ‘outdoor reared’, ‘absence of growth promoters’ product packaging; and ‘slower growth’ are appearing on a large • he use of independent labels that support a t number of animal-based food products. particular production system considered to
  • 2. This research was executed within offer better welfare to animals; health, productivity and product quality, the first Subproject of Welfare • nd through the bundling of a range a and when producers are unable to access Quality®. of desirable product qualities implicitly higher value markets or respond to consumer It investigates societal attitudes conveyed through a brand. demand. In different European countries, and practices among consumers, Welfare Quality® research has shown how farmers and retailers, as they impact upon animal welfare. Welfare Quality® research shows that producer groups, manufacturers and retailers It assesses to what extent new while many food producers and suppliers have responded to this potential in different welfare strategies might be welcome the growth of welfare conditions ways, yet a number of common challenges achievable in practice. Subproject as a component of product and brand remain. leader is Unni Kjærnes, Unni. differentiation, the use of dedicated Kjarnes@sifo.no stand-alone welfare labelling is not widely Because of the nature of the premium market, supported. Tighter standards of animal only some cuts can be sold as premium welfare are seen as contributing to the quality products that benefit from value quality of the product – as well as the quality addition, so the opportunity remains to find commitment of the producer and supplier. a premium market for as many products That is why animal welfare is usually bundled as possible from animals produced to high up with other product ‘qualities’ such as welfare standards. Assessment procedures, nature, tradition, environmental benefits, and critical to the validity of welfare claims, need organic production, thus appealing to a wide to be flexible enough to support diverse range of consumer interests and concerns. brand demands and encourage welfare Across Europe, clear differences emerge improvements throughout the food chain. with French and Italians often favouring The Welfare Quality® assessment will offer gastronomic qualities while the northern a flexible tool to compliment the market’s countries more often link welfare with diverse welfare commitments and, by environmental concerns. introducing animal based parameters, will provide greater clarity to welfare claims. Animal Welfare and added value Through appropriate regulation and market Animal welfare is a component of added mechanisms working together to raise the value. Not only can improved animal welfare welfare quality of European farm animals, conditions contribute to the generation of suppliers and consumers alike can benefit. higher commodity prices, but lower welfare conditions are proving costly. That cost comes Dr Emma Roe, E.J.Roe@soton.ac.uk through harmful effects on the animals’ Prof Henry Buller, H.Buller@exeter.ac.uk Project Coordinator Prof. Dr Harry J. Blokhuis, The Netherlands Welfare Quality® is a European research project focusing on the integration of animal welfare harry.blokhuis@hmh.slu.se in the food quality chain. The project aims to accommodate societal concerns and market demands, to develop reliable on-farm monitoring systems, product information systems, and Project Office Welfare Quality® practical species-specific strategies to improve farm animal welfare. Forty-four institutes and Animal Sciences Group of Wageningen UR universities, representing thirteen European countries and four Latin American countries, Postbox 65, 8200 AB Lelystad participate in this integrated research project. The Netherlands Phone: +31 320 293503 Welfare Quality® is co-financed by the European Commission, within the 6th Framework Fax: +31 320 238050 Programme, contract no. FOOD-CT-2004-5065087. e-mail info@welfarequality.net The text represents the authors’ views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission www.welfarequality.net who will not be liable for the use made of such information. Pictures© WUR-ASG, BvBeeld