Animal welfare neglected even in times of Corona

Anyone who thinks that the shift in consumer behaviour has also benefited animals is mistaken.

Animal welfare products — and animals as a whole — have not been able to benefit from trends such as organic, regional, fair trade, and sustainability. This is clearly shown by the 2021 Label Statistics Report of the Swiss Animal Protection STS. The STS Label Statistics examines how sales figures in label markets (including organic) are developing and, above all, how these figures affect the number of animals kept under animal-friendly conditions. The «Overall Market» analysis, presented in this newly available report, provides an overview of the general development of label markets.Organic products were able to achieve above-average growth in most segments — but not in the meat segment. An escape from niche status is not in sight. For the overall label market for meat (including organic), sales figures developed sluggishly to negatively. The stagnation in animal-friendly production has not been overcome.

For cattle (including cows and calves), the label share stagnated at around one third; for pigs, it declined significantly to just over 31%; for broiler chickens, it stood at a low 8%; and for lambs, it fell to 11%. The dairy market showed a more positive, though still modest, development, with a label share of just under 15%. The egg market, by contrast, performed very encouragingly. The share of laying hens in free-range and organic farming systems stands at 84.5%. 83 million animals were slaughtered in Switzerland last year across the main categories (cattle, pigs, lambs, poultry). Of these, only 10 million — or 12.2% — were label or organic animals.

Based on the findings of the 2021 Label Statistics Report, Swiss Animal Protection STS reaffirms its demand for the prioritisation of label markets.Market players — retail and hospitality — must promote the sale of labeled products while reducing the artificially high price differences between the standard and label segments.The federal government should intervene to steer food production toward sustainability and animal welfare, and create a framework that favors sustainable and animal-friendly products. Clear signals in favor of greater animal welfare are needed from all stakeholders.

Consumers also share responsibility for improving animal welfare in farm housing.The much-praised shift toward regionality, ethics, and sustainability amounts to more than lip service — not through bargain hunting across the border, but by purchasing Swiss products that are not of animal origin.

Conclusion:

Only 12.2% of all 83 million animals slaughtered in Switzerland across the main categories are sold as label animals (including organic). Despite favorable conditions (border closures, changed purchasing behavior), animals in the meat and poultry categories were unable to benefit from this. In virtually every area, the figures have moved in the wrong direction. The steepest decline was seen in pigs and calves. In animal-friendly broiler production as well, market share remained virtually unchanged at a low level. The situation with eggs was encouraging: organic and free-range eggs are in high demand. In the label milk segment, fewer than 15% of dairy cows are kept under animal welfare labels. While significantly more dairy cows are kept in animal-friendly conditions, the situation remains unsatisfactory. For producers to cover the cost of their additional efforts through label premiums, more animal welfare products — such as vegetables, grains, and fruit — need to reach consumers under a value-added label.