Choose Wisely

Higher-Welfare Food

Australians care about the welfare of the animals farmed to produce the meat and eggs that we eat. Over time, we’ve seen directly that more and more Australians care about where our food comes from and want to choose products with animal welfare in mind.

But with so much information – good and bad – available, it can be difficult to know how or where to start.

Every dollar you spend on a product is a vote for the system that produced it. The choices you make in the supermarket or when eating out can directly impact the welfare of farmed animals, and we want to encourage everyone to keep animal welfare top of mind. You can make better choices and be informed about the products you buy - in other words, you can Choose Wisely!

Here you’ll find information on how to make higher-welfare choices, whether you’re at the supermarket checkout or dining out.

For those who eat products from farmed animals – such as meat and eggs - higher-welfare products are those that are produced with the welfare of the animal as a higher priority. “Free range”, “barn raised”, “cage free” are just some of the labels used to market higher-welfare food products, but it can be difficult to know what these labels really mean, and whether they are an accurate representation of how the animal was raised. Here’s some information to help demystify them.

Eggs

Eggs sold in a carton are the only animal product where regulations require the method of production to be included on the label, meaning that how the layer hens have been farmed must be included on the carton with an easy to ready label (such as cage, barn-laid/cage-free or free range). Eggs can come from hens confined in a cage (cage eggs), housed in a barn without access to an outdoor area (barn laid) or housed in a barn with access to an outdoor area (free range).

So, what’s the difference?

More about eggs

Cage eggs come from hens confined to wire cages - either barren battery cages, or cages that contain some enrichment. Caged hens experience poor welfare as a result of restricted movement, lack of exercise, uncomfortable wire flooring, and the stress of being unable to engage in their natural behaviours. Having the opportunity and choice to perch, nest, forage, dustbathe and stretch or flap their wings are all denied to caged hens. Though some enriched cages may contain a perch, scratching pad or nesting box, this is still a very limited environment for the hens, compared with cage free. This is why the RSPCA is campaigning for a phase out of battery cages as soon as possible to save millions of hens from suffering in cruel battery cages.

Barn-laid eggs come from hens housed in a large barn or shed where they’re able to move around, stretch, flap their wings and socialise. Hens in barns are also able to lay their eggs in a nest box and some will also have access to perches and litter for dust bathing. But most importantly, hens aren’t confined to cages.

Free-range eggs come from hens that have meaningful access to an outdoor area during the day, as well as the protection of a secure barn at night and during poor weather A good free-range farm will allow hens access to a well-designed outdoor area, which includes shade, vegetation and protection from predators.

RSPCA Approved eggs come from hens that are raised according to the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard for Layer Hens. Whether hens are kept in a higher-welfare indoor environment or with access to the outdoors, there’s a focus on providing for the hen’s behavioural and physical needs – and no cages. Layer hen farms that have RSPCA Approved certification are assessed regularly to check the Standard is being met. To learn more about what egg product labels mean, click here.

Chicken

Chicken meat comes from chickens specifically bred and reared for their meat (sometimes also called ‘broilers’). Meat chickens are bred to grow and gain weight rapidly, with most meat chickens slaughtered at just 35 days old. They’re one of the most intensively farmed animals in Australia, and globally.

More about meat chickens

The way chickens farmed for meat are bred, kept and slaughtered in Australia can result in a number of serious health and welfare issues, including the following:

The rapid growth of meat chicken breeds who have been genetically selected to grow very fast, resulting in serious health and welfare issues such as lameness and difficulty moving about freely.
High stocking densities indoors towards the later period of the meat chicken’s life, potentially limiting the ability of meat chickens to easily move around and perform natural behaviours.
Poor quality of indoor housing, such as inadequate ventilation and lighting regimes that do not encourage activity or allow for sufficient rest.
Poor quality outdoor environments where provided, without adequate overhead cover and palatable vegetation that don’t encourage meat chickens to use the range.
Stress and risk of injury from euthanasia methods, catching, transport, and pre-slaughter stunning methods.

Chickens farmed for meat on free-range farms have access to an outdoor area during the day. The quality of the outdoor range is vitally important, or chickens will be reluctant to use it: the range area must be appropriately sized, provide vegetation for foraging, and provide access to shade and shelter. At night and during poor weather, chickens are kept inside sheds. This means that even on free-range farms, chickens will spend much of their time indoors - and so, a high-quality indoor environment is also essential.

Meat chickens from farms with RSPCA Approved certification are raised according to the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard for Meat Chickens. With a focus on providing good housing conditions, meat chickens have access to perches and dry friable litter, objects to peck at, good lighting periods and proper darkness to allow rest, all encouraging them to be activity and perform their natural behaviours. Where access to the outdoors is available, a quality range must be provided that keeps the chickens safe. Meat chicken farms and abattoirs are regularly assessed as part of a Producer’s RSPCA Approved certification to ensure the Standard continues to be met. To learn more about what chicken meat product labels mean, click here.

Pork

Most pigs in Australia are raised in intensive farming systems where they are kept closely confined and unable to forage in the dirt or wallow in the mud.

More about pigs

If a pork product is not labelled as free range, outdoor bred or RSPCA Approved, it will most likely have come from an intensive conventional farming system. Intensive conventional farming systems usually confine pigs to a barren indoor-only environment, which leads to a higher risk poor welfare. For example, sows (mother pigs) are regularly confined to farrowing crates from the final week of their pregnancy until their piglets are weaned at a few weeks of age. A farrowing crate is a barren, metal crate, usually with a concrete floor. With only enough space to stand up, she can’t turn around and can only take a short step forward and back, and she will remain here until her piglets are weaned. Pigs farmed in these systems suffer enormously, through a continuous cycle of chronic frustration and discomfort.

The sow’s piglets are usually reared (grown out) in intensive indoor, semi-outdoor (deep litter) or outdoor (free-range) housing systems. Intensive indoor systems pose a number of serious welfare issues for pigs including lack of space, lack of enrichment, and painful practices like tail docking and teeth clipping.

Outdoor-bred pork comes from pigs that are born in a free-range environment but are raised indoors. This could mean they’re raised in large open sheds with straw bedding or in pens with concrete floors. The breeding pigs have access to the outdoors.

Free-range pork comes from pigs that were born and raised with access to the outdoors. This means that the boars, sows and growing pigs have access to paddocks, as well as huts or other forms of housing for shelter, and they’re not confined to boar stalls, mating stalls, sow stalls or farrowing crates.

RSPCA Approved pork comes from pigs reared in a well-managed free-range system, in an enhanced indoor environment or a combination of both, with a focus on catering for the animals’ behavioural and physiological needs. This includes providing environmental enrichment, including straw for foraging and nest building, as well as sufficient space to move freely. The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard for Pigs doesn’t allow boar stalls, mating stalls, sow stalls or farrowing crates. These pig farms and the abattoirs used are assessed regularly to ensure the Standard is met for RSPCA Approved certification.

To learn more about what pork product labels mean, click here

choose wisely what is higher welfare food 2000x2000

Dining out

Many venues now state cage-free eggs on their menus; if your favourite venue doesn’t specify what type of eggs they use, ask them!
Similarly, venues may also state they use free-range chicken or free-range pork. If it’s not clear, ask!
A number of restaurant, retail and hospitality chains have committed to sourcing cage-free eggs or have committed to transitioning by a certain date, check out our Cage Free and Proud directory to see if you’re favourite makes the list.
Many popular dining venues (such as quick service restaurants) are committed to sourcing RSPCA Approved; check out our brands page for the full list.
Organising catering for an office or event? Our Responsible Sourcing guides can help, including information about supply chains and helpful questions to ask.

At the supermarket

As a first step, always opt for cage-free eggs. Barn laid and free range are all better options that benefit layer hens. But be mindful that provisions such as enrichment, good quality litter and vegetation and shelter in the outdoor area are not legally required and are provided at the discretion of the producer so be sure to do your research.
You can also find cage-free RSPCA Approved eggs on your supermarket shelf – visit the RSPCA Approved website to find out where they’re available near you.
Be careful of the sneaky eggs hiding in the ingredients of your favourite products! Cage eggs are often used in many store-bought and convenience products, so be sure to take a close look at the label or contact the brand directly.
Some common phrases popping up on egg cartons such as ‘natural living’, ‘farm fresh’, ‘no de-beaking’ and ‘Australian grown’ distract from the type of farming system these eggs came from. These are marketing buzzwords, and not indicative of how the hen lived or the conditions on farm.
A chicken product labelled ‘organic’ means the chicken was farmed avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilisers, hormones and antibiotics. Meat chickens farmed organically are generally given outdoor access. However, be sure to research the applicable organic certification to have a good understanding of the animal standards they require and how they audit their farms.
It’s worth noting that some producers may market their products as antibiotic free. The therapeutic use of antibiotics to treat disease is a good welfare outcome; however much antibiotic free labelling is aimed at reducing the preventative use of antibiotics within the production of the meat product itself. Where antibiotics are used, withholding periods are deployed to ensure that the product itself does not contain antibiotics when consumed.
Choosing wisely for pigs is much more than just opting for sow-stall free pork products (although that is a good first step). Roughly 90% of Australia’s pigs are intensively farmed, so when it comes to pork, look for outdoor bred, free range and/or RSPCA Approved to be sure you’re supporting producers that prioritise the welfare of their pigs.
Many pork products such as processed ham, bacon, deli meats and pre-cooked products such as pulled pork are imported. Most come from the US, Canada, and some European countries which have varying (and often poor) standards of welfare.

RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme

For 27 years, the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme has been improving the lives of Australia’s farmed animals.

The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is Australia’s leading independent certification scheme focused on animal welfare. We work closely with farmers to make a positive impact on the lives of Australia’s most intensively farmed animals by providing an environment that meets their needs. More than 5 billion hens, pigs, chickens, turkeys and salmon have benefitted from higher welfare conditions since the Scheme began.

Find out which brands have products with RSPCA Approved certification and learn about how together, we can improve the lives of Australian farm animals. Click here for the latest news.

Visit RSPCA Approved

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The Real Deal with Dairy

Growing awareness of farmed animal welfare has led many caring Australians to actively seek more conscious choices with the products they buy. From meat, to eggs, to fish, individuals are becoming mindful of how their choices at the checkout impact animal welfare and are wanting to purchase from producers that give their animals a good life with higher standards of animal care. But what about dairy?

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Higher-Welfare Food

What is higher-welfare food?

Helpful tips for choosing wisely

Dining out

At the supermarket

For 27 years, the RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme has been improving the lives of Australia’s farmed animals.

Learn more about higher welfare food

Stay informed on big issues and how you can help improve animal welfare across Australia.