30 Aug 2007


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Stores shortlisted for selling higher welfare food

RSPCA

animal welfare

Source : RSPCA
The last six contenders in the race to become the country's top animal welfare friendly food retailers have been unveiled by the RSPCA today.

Abel & Cole, Marks & Spencer, Pepperfield Farm near Darlington, Tesco, Whole Foods Market and Waitrose are the nominees for the food category in this year’s RSPCA Good Business Awards.

The award winners will be announced at a gala ceremony at London’s Natural History Museum on Thursday 11 October 2007.

One of the judges, industry consultant Dr Geoff Spriegel, said: “This year’s bumper crop of entries has produced a variety of supermarkets and independent food retailers all vying for supremacy.

“Many have demonstrated interesting innovations, while others have shown impressive overall efforts to improve animal welfare throughout the supply chain.

“The retailers at the top of the pile present us with a difficult but satisfying choice – given their endeavours show animal welfare is increasingly important to each of them.”

To reward the ethical aspiration of many companies to establish policies on animal welfare, this year’s awards have introduced an Innovation Award in each of the categories, as well as an overall winner.

Companies entering the food retail category are judged on the basis of their practices in the following areas:
• Welfare of beef, dairy cattle, chickens bred for meat, laying hens, pigs, sheep and farmed fish
• Live transport of animals
• Slaughter methods
• Labelling
• Import of meat and eggs from other countries
• Farm inspection
•
David Bowles, RSPCA Head of External Affairs, said: “Each of the six nominated food retailers should be proud of the advances they have made in ensuring they deliver higher welfare food to increasingly discerning consumers.

“We look forward to seeing who is crowned at this year’s award ceremony on 11 October.”

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