DOING YOUR SHOPPING
Farm animals produce meat, eggs and milk (picture 1). In shops, all types of food, from pizza to ice cream, contain these products. But what do we know about the animals that are producing them?
At the shop (picture 2) we think about taste, price and quality. However, we should also reflect on the life of the animals. The key to choosing animal-welfare-friendly food is to be well informed about how food gets from the farm to our plates.
Buying products that respect animal welfare helps to improve life for many farmed animals, because it encourages all farmers and food producers to treat animals better.
Food labels help us in choosing animal-welfare-friendly products. There is a lot of information on the label which explains where a particular food comes from and what is in that food. Today, in the case of beef, the label will tell you exactly where the animal was born, reared and slaughtered.
Sometimes labels contain information on the conditions in which the animal was reared. For example, on eggs, the label indicates whether the eggs were produced by laying hens that lived in cages or by those who were free to move around more, sometimes even outdoors.
So remember – be aware, and check the labels when you go to buy food. By doing this, you too can help make a real difference to animal welfare.
You are now ready to go shopping!
