What's behind the label?
FOUR PAWS UK reveals that Brits want transparency on food labelling
20 January, 2026 – New research combining the thoughts of FOUR PAWS UK supporters and the British public, has uncovered their feelings on food, welfare and meat reduction and the demands are clear; the Government must deliver on the promised method of production labelling system. Additionally, there is growing support to end the caged keeping of all farmed animals, and to ban farms from rearing animals solely indoors.
FOUR PAWS UK’s research comes at an apt moment, as at the end of last year, the Government released its much-anticipated Animal Welfare Strategy outlining provisions for farmed, companion and wild animals. FOUR PAWS UK was delighted to see acknowledgement that healthier, happier animals support sustainable British farming and a commitment to phase out confinement systems.
What is clear from this new research is that people care deeply about animals, with many already changing their diets to reflect this. Yet for those buying meat and dairy items, they often feel in the dark about how to channel their care, compassion and empathy into their shopping habits as the food labels don’t tell the whole story.
Emily Wilson, FOUR PAWS UK Head of Campaigns says:
“People don’t want to guess what they’re eating; they want to know. FOUR PAWS UK’s new research clearly signals the public’s readiness for mandatory method-of-production labelling. By giving consumers the power to make informed, ethical choices, we can ultimately reward farmers for employing the best practices.”
For many, rising food costs are the primary barrier to overcome when trying to make kinder choices in their weekly shop. But, this isn’t the only hurdle many struggle to overcome; there is word blindness when it comes to the labels. All of this results in consumers feeling stuck and unable to differentiate which are the ‘better’ products.
In the wake of such clear support for a reform of the food labelling system, FOUR PAWS UK is today releasing a new fact sheet that is full to the brim with the thoughts of the UK.