Is cheaper meat driving lower animal welfare standards?

Cost cutting meat production

Lower standards in animal welfare – intended to lower the cost of meat – are coming at the expense of animal welfare, environmental damage and normalising damaging farming practices, according to the report.

Cost-cutting farming practices are an attempt by the meat industry to counter cheap imported meat. However, lower quality, processed meat products are only achievable at unsustainable profit margins and a disregard for the welfare of animals and the environment.

An industry normalising cruel farming practices

The report claims that low-quality and low-standard practices have already been normalised in the UK meat industry. As reported by The Grocer, the whistleblowing authors of the report state:

‘In many retailers, the margins on cheap meats are completely unsustainable but are used as a mechanism to drive footfall so that profit can be made on other items. One can argue that this means retailers are willing to invest to drive up consumption of cheap meat and dairy products, but not meat alternatives or low-impact, high welfare meats.’

Vegetarianism – an alternative to unfair farming?

The position of the Vegetarian Society is that animal welfare and environmental care should always be a top priority in the food production industry. Evidence shows that consumers want to eat healthier, less cruel diets. If the meat industry cannot produce food that meats those demands, consumers will inevitably be led towards healthier, more sustainable and compassionate options like vegetarianism.

Learn more about becoming a vegetarian.

Read the report for yourself