RSPCA unveils new 'Think Pig' welfare campaign

- Published: 02 August, 2010

The RSPCA is launching a campaign to encourage and help consumers buy higher-welfare pork products in a bid to improve pigs’ lives in meat production.

A YouGov survey, commissioned by the RSPCA, is said to have found more than six out of 10 (64%) shoppers who bought ham, sausages, bacon or pork in the past six months wanted to choose higher-welfare products, such as Freedom Food or free range, but were not always able to because of a lack of clear labelling.

In response, the charity has launched the Think Pig campaign to help consumers make an educated choice when buying pork products. Think Pig aims to harness consumers’ concerns about the way animals are treated and help them use their spending power by following the Think Pig checklist while out shopping.

The checklist asks people to only buy higher-welfare pork products that display the Freedom Food logo, which means they have come from farms inspected to RSPCA welfare standards, or those labelled outdoor-bred, outdoor-reared, free range or organic.

The labels conform to the new voluntary labelling code for pork products, developed by the RSPCA and Bpex.

RSPCA farm animals scientific officer Kate Parkes added: “Consumers have the power to really improve pigs’ lives. The more people choose higher-welfare labelled pork, the more pigs will be reared to better welfare standards.”

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