The new RSPCA Assured ethical food label is replacing the organisation’s existing label, Freedom Food.
According to the UK charity, RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), 96% of people recognise the RSPCA brand, compared to only 24% for Freedom Food.
“Greater recognition of the new label means more people will choose RSPCA Assured products. We estimate the amount of RSPCA Assured labelled food could increase by as much as 200% in the next five years”, said Jeremy Cooper, chief executive of the RSPCA Assured scheme.
The RSPCA Assured label will replace the RSPCA’s Freedom Food mark on eggs, meat, dairy products and fish sold in supermarkets and shops throughout the UK. RSPCA Assured means the product has come from a farm inspected to the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards - whether it is an indoor, outdoor, organic or free range farm.
The RSPCA is concerned about the welfare of many farmed animals and the new label has been launched in a major push to help more of them have a better life.
Mike Tomlinson, chairman of the RSPCA, said, “In the next five years alone we hope to help improve the lives of about 100 million more farm animals, plus many millions of salmon and trout.”
RSPCA Assured products are being rolled out into Sainsbury’s, Aldi, The Co-operative and Lidl this month. And the new label will continue replacing the Freedom Food label on products in supermarkets and shops over the next 12 months.
