Animal Welfare Labelling

Consumers should have a right to know how the food they buy is produced. This is not just about choice—it’s about animal rights, support for ethical farmers, and restoring trust in our food supply.

The Liberal Democrats have recently agreed a draft comprehensive Animal Health and Welfare Bill, which sets out a bold and humane vision for the future of farming and food, including:

• A national strategy to end the cage age, including banning farrowing crates and other cruel practices.
• Ensuring no animal product illegal to produce in the UK can be sold here, such as foie gras or products made with antibiotic growth promoters.
• A commitment to combat antibiotic resistance by banning the prophylactic use of antibiotics.
• Support for farmers to transition to sustainable, high-welfare farming, backed by £1 billion in additional funding annually.

Transparency must also extend beyond the label. I’ve also been campaigning to strengthen food trade regulation through the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA); the regulator I helped establish over a decade ago to protect farmers from unfair treatment by powerful supermarket chains.
Since returning to Parliament, I’ve tabled a cross-party motion calling for the consolidation and expansion of the GCA’s powers. Farmers and growers are still subject to exploitative practices, with supermarkets transferring excessive risk and unexpected cost along the supply chain, to the significant detriment of primary producers. The GCA must be given the teeth to enforce fair dealing not just with retailers, but processors, manufacturers, and supply chain operators.

This is not only about improved welfare of livestock or to protect farmers from bullyboy supermarket buyers. It’s also about creating a food system which is fair, transparent, and resilient, where consumers can trust the labels, and producers are rewarded for doing the right thing.

I will continue to press the Government to announce a timeline for implementing mandatory labelling reforms.