London, 24 June 2025 – Each year over five billion animals are exploited and used by the global fashion industry. In a new report, FOUR PAWS UK has uncovered that leading UK supermarkets - Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s - are failing to adequately address animal welfare in their clothing ranges, and allowing cruelty to go unchecked in their textile supply chains. 

With their immense reach and influence, supermarket fashion brands have a responsibility to ensure that animal cruelty does not underpin the clothes on their shelves. Yet, the investigation shows that many are falling behind on even the most basic standards. 

Sadly animal-derived materials (ADMs) such as wool, leather, and down are inherently linked with severe animal suffering. But consumers are no longer turning a blind eye to this and are changing their buying habits, demanding transparency and compassion from the brands they support. However, within this report FOUR PAWS UK discovered that UK supermarket fashion is out of step with this shift in public sentiment. 

As the ninth largest fashion retailer in the UK, Tesco has the potential to be a leader, but currently its limited position statement on the welfare of animals used in their textile supply chain falls short. It is a similar story at ASDA and Sainsbury’s who thouroughly address animal-welfare in their food products, but neglect to have a robust policy for textiles. Only Morrisons via the Nutmeg range has a dedicated non-food policy and explicitly cite that they are fur free, but even they could go further and join the Fur Free Retailer program which sends a very clear signal to consumers how important they take animal welfare.  

The drive for fast fashion impacts the climate too. The fashion industry is on track to account for over a quarter of the world’s total carbon emissions by 2050. However, there is an ever-growing awareness amongst consumers of the implications of their fashion choices. Recent polling found that over 80% of people globally agree that fashion companies should reduce the use of ADMs and transition to sustainable and animal-friendly materials, evidencing that the demand for animal-free fashion is growing due to animal welfare and environmental concerns among consumers.* 

The changing attitude towards ADMs is one that supermarkets cannot afford to ignore. As hundreds of fashion brands make crucial improvements to their policies to protect the welfare of animals used in their supply chains, supermarket brands are lagging. Immediate change is vital. To continue to operate within planetary boundaries supermarkets must ensure they are leaders in the reduction movement and in effect facilitate a shift away from the use of ADMs.  

FOUR PAWS UK recommendations to ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons to reduce risk and adequately address animal welfare within textile supply chains are: 

• Develop and publish robust meaningful animal welfare policies for textiles
• Set clear, measurable and time-bound goals
• Transparently communicate progress and initiatives
• Trace materials all the way back to the farm level
• Commit to genuine animal advocacy across all operations

By adopting these recommendations, supermarkets have an opportunity to stand out from the crowd of their competitors, meet growing consumer expectations play a meaningful role in ending animal cruelty in fashion The future of fashion can – and must – be both compassionate and sustainable. 

The full report can be viewed here.