Did you know that labels like “free-range,” “outdoor bred,” or “high welfare” often don’t mean what you think?

Currently, supermarkets can use a variety of animal welfare terms without having to meet strict, consistent standards. For example:

A free-range chicken in the UK must satisfy each of these three conditions:

• There should be no more than 13 birds per square meter
• The chicken should be eight weeks old by the time they are slaughtered
• For at least half of the chicken’s short life, they should have daytime access to an open-air run through ‘popholes’ in the side of the barn

To put that into perspective, a single chicken can spend its first four weeks crammed inside a windowless 20-metre-by-20-metre shed with around 5,000 other birds, and only go outside for the remaining four weeks. For most animals — notably pigs and cows — there are no rules that define them as free-range at all, giving supermarkets the freedom to use reassuring labels without having to meet any meaningful welfare standard whatsoever.

Most shoppers assume these labels guarantee a better life for the animals. In reality, many animals live cramped, industrialised lives, and vague claims make it impossible for consumers to know what they are actually buying. Farmers who genuinely invest in high welfare struggle to stand out from those relying on empty marketing.

This petition asks the UK Government to:

• Introduce clear, enforceable definitions for all animal welfare terms on food labels.
• Create a transparent national welfare ranking system, similar to the traffic-light system used for nutrition, so shoppers can instantly see how well animals were treated.

Honest, clear labels will give shoppers confidence, reward responsible farmers, and bring integrity back to our weekly shop. It’s time to look behind the label — and make sure the label tells the truth.