Animal welfare
Supporting the RSPCA's Freedom Food scheme
The co-operative were the first major retailer to support the RSPCA's farm animal welfare standards by selling a range of Freedom Food labelled products under the Co-operative own brand.
If you choose Freedom Food labeled products, you can be confident the farm animals involved have been reared, handled, transported and slaughtered to high standards devised and monitored by the RSPCA.
The RSPCA works in close association with vets, industry specialists, welfare scientists and producers to continually develop the welfare standards which exceed EU and UK legislation in many areas.
Written specifically for each species, the standards aim to ensure farm animals have a nourishing diet, comfortable surroundings with sufficient space to move around, are free to express their normal behaviour and are well cared for by skilled stock people.
For more information contact us or visit www.freedomfood.co.uk
1990 - Animal Testing
The Co-operative announces that no Co-operative Brand toiletries or household products, or their
ingredients, have been tested on animals after 1985 - even though the law allowed the practice to continue.
The Co-operative co-sponsors with the RSPCA a Private Member's Bill to require more informative labelling for
products tested on animals.
1994 - Freedom Food
The Co-operative supports the development of the RSPCA Freedom Food scheme to improve the
welfare standards for animals at all stages of the food chain. This leads to the introduction of a range of
Co-operative Brand Freedom Food products.
1995 - Egg Labelling
The Co-operative is the first retailer to label eggs 'Intensively Produced' a technically
illegal step, but one in the consumer's interest. This leads to a change in the law, allowing eggs to be
labelled 'From Caged Hens' Co-operative egg packs have changed to this wording and several other retailers have
followed suit. The move is welcomed by consumers and pressure groups angry with packaging depicting idyllic
farmyard scenes and describing battery eggs as 'Farm Fresh' We also identify the source of the eggs used in
recipe products.
1996 - Animal Testing
The Co-operative launches 'Ending the Pain' a campaign against animal testing in the toiletries
industry. This includes backing FRAME, a charity dedicated to finding alternatives to animal tests. A Right to
Know leaflet gives customers the animal testing policies of the manufacturers whose products are stocked in Co-operative stores.
1999 - Humane Cosmetics Standard
The Co-operative is the first grocery retailer to be awarded the right to use the new
International Cruelty-Free symbol, developed by leading animal welfare organisations world-wide, including the BUAV
(British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection), on its range of Health and Beauty products. The symbol shows that
the Co-operative fulfils the criteria of the Humane Cosmetics Standard and is an independent endorsement of our strict
non-animal testing policies. Co-operative Babycare products are the first labels to introduce the symbol, which guarantees
that neither the product nor its ingredients have been tested on animals after a fixed cut off date - 1985 in the
case of the Co-operative Brand.