High Demand for Ethical Turkeys this Christmas
Research into Higher Welfare Food by the RSPCA has revealed that one in three adults would choose a Christmas turkey based on a higher welfare label such as Freedom Food or free-range. Only 10% said they would choose based on simple size and price alone.
The research also revealed that 52% of people believe that over 20% of turkeys are reared to RSPCA welfare standards and 30% of people believe that the figure is over 40%.
The true figure, at 1.4 million out of 16 million, is just under 9%. The overwhelming majority of British turkeys are reared in conditions that the RSPCA considers inadequate. However, the survey took heart from the discovery that 81% of people believe that more turkeys should be reared to RSPCA standards.
Alice Clark, an RSPCA Farm Animal Scientist, said "We are really concerned about the way the majority of turkeys in the UK are looked after. Most of them are kept in a very barren environment where they simply aren't given enough space to move around and exercise properly. Turkeys are intelligent birds and naturally inquisitive. They need things to do, such as objects to peck at and perch on."
Ms Clark added: "The good news is we can all do our bit to help improve their lives by choosing turkeys with higher welfare labels, such as Freedom Food or free-range. But we need supermarkets to help too, by listening to consumer demand and stocking more of them."
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
