Jamie Oliver and RSPCA call for better pork labelling

The Rooting for Pigs campaign, which was launched yesterday (12 January), follows an RSPCA survey that found just 2% of shoppers understood what was meant by the terms used to describe the conditions pigs are reared in.

Oliver said he supported the campaign for clearer labelling, “particularly as the variation in pig welfare across Europe and the world is so diverse”.

“How many people outside of the industry know the difference between outdoor-bred and outdoor-reared?” he asked. “Not many.”

The survey questioned 1,012 people aged over 16 and found that 83% strongly agreed that animal welfare was important, while 19% said the labelling of pork was either absent or too confusing, preventing them from making an informed choice.

There are currently no set definitions for pork labelling, in contrast to chickens and eggs, and the RSPCA said it would lobby government, later in the year, for binding legal requirements on labelling.

Dr Julia Wrathall, RSPCA head of farm animal science, praised the work the pig industry had done to “progress the health and welfare” of the animals, but said there was still work to do.

“Of the nine million pigs raised for meat in the UK each year, there are still a significant number that are living out their lives in unacceptable conditions,” she added.

The campaign coincides with Oliver’s programme on pig welfare, Jamie Saves our Bacon, which will be broadcast on Channel 4 on 29 January.

For more information on the campaign visit the RSPCA website by clicking here.

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