Farm News
Animal welfare top priority for consumers
»»Nearly three-quarters (74%) of
consumers claim that meat sourced from
well-looked-after animals is a top issue that
makes a food company ethical, according
to a new Mintel survey.
Of the 1,500 UK consumers who took
part in the study, 60% recognised as
important a company that can guarantee
the ingredients used in its products are
responsibly sourced, while 57% claimed
good worker welfare to be the main factor
when it came to ethical food companies.
“The fact that animal welfare ranks as the
top ethical concern adds credence to the
suggestion that Britain is a nation of animallovers,” explained Richard Ford, senior food
analyst at Mintel.
Seventy-two per cent of consumers
expected food products to meet ethical
standards without having to pay more,
according to the research. Furthermore,
over half (52%) stated that they would
cease buying products from a company if it
were found to be acting unethically.
“Ethics is becoming ever more ingrained
into food and drink operators’ sourcing
policies, but it is a complex area which
is important to get right. That so many
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consumers would stop buying from a
company acting unethically highlights that
operators must ensure their operating
standards are not just legally, but also
ethically robust, or risk boycotts and
reputational damage. Social media means
that any accusation of unethical practice
can spread fast.”
Just more than half admitted that they
would pay more for ethical foods if they
understood where the extra money was
spent, with the same proportion (52%)
saying they found information surrounding
ethically sourced food confusing.
Mr Ford continued: “Not only do
consumers expect good ethical practices
from operators, they also expect to be
informed and reassured over why they’re
paying extra and where the money is
going. Cost remains a key barrier for
many buying into ethical food and drink
products.”
Meanwhile, only 17% believed that meat
produced in a production facility was a
solution to helping feed the world.
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16 Aug/Sep 2015 www.farmers-mart.co.uk
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