Tiered welfare
Toby Baker, RSPCA Assured’s Executive Director, on why we need excellence, not extras, when it comes to farmed animal welfare assurance. Good enough is not enough.
With the summer holidays well underway, Brits are once again turning their attention to food, whether it’s alfresco meals, staycation BBQs, or stocking up on family favourites. Food is at the heart of our shared moments, but people are no longer just asking what’s for dinner - they’re asking where did it come from?
This growing curiosity is about more than taste or price tags; it’s about principles. Increasingly, shoppers want reassurance that the meat, fish, eggs, and dairy they consume is produced with genuine care. Consumers are putting their money where their values are, and it matters to them that kindness is on their plate.
Yet, higher welfare is still an optional extra for most other assurance schemes, rather than a consistent, core requirement. This positions welfare as a voluntary upgrade, rather than a fundamental part of responsible and compassionate food production.
Excellence, not extras
A tiered model - where producers choose a level of welfare to opt into, basic at one end, better at the other - is being explored by other assurance schemes. But, at RSPCA Assured, we don’t believe animal welfare is something you can upgrade like a broadband package. A tiered approach risks sending the wrong message: that higher welfare is a luxury, not a necessity.
On the surface, tiered welfare sounds like choice and flexibility, but in reality, it's turning welfare into a sliding scale of convenience rather than a consistent, credible standard.
That’s why our approach is different and unique to RSPCA Assured. Higher welfare isn’t an optional upgrade for us; it’s the foundation of everything we do. It’s built into the RSPCA standards, our assessments, and our values. The RSPCA’s science-based standards are enforced through regular, independent inspections carried out by our own team of in-house, highly trained assessors - something many other assurance schemes don’t have.
We don’t ask producers to pick the level of welfare they are willing to provide; we ask them to commit to welfare excellence - no matter their system.
Additionally, the RSPCA welfare standards are designed to ensure that animal welfare progresses in line with the latest science, evidence, and best practice. By contrast, tiered models may risk slowing progress if there’s no clear commitment to regularly reviewing and updating their requirements. Without ongoing development, even well-intentioned higher welfare tiers could remain static, falling short of the continual improvement that true welfare leadership demands.
It’s easy to forget that welfare isn’t a label, or a logo, or even an assurance scheme. It’s the lived experience of millions of animals. It’s the difference between animals being confined or free to move. Between being enriched and stimulated or bored and stressed. Between growing at a natural pace, or being pushed to grow at such a pace that their bodies are unable to adapt.
Yes, animals are raised for food, and that’s the reality of farming. But that doesn’t mean they should suffer. And it certainly doesn’t justify reducing their lives to a convenient tier simply because it’s easier or cheaper.
Higher welfare comes from doing things the right way, every time, on every farm.
What embedded welfare looks like
Since our inception more than 30 years ago, many of the RSPCA’s world-leading welfare standards have been adopted by other schemes in the UK and internationally, something we’re incredibly proud of. The RSPCA standards go above and beyond industry requirements in many key areas of animal welfare. And for pigs, that means more than 500 welfare requirements covering every stage of life.
Here’s just a small glimpse of what those standards mean in practice:
- No farrowing crates, ever: Pregnant sows are never confined to farrowing crates. Instead, they are given space, soft bedding and enrichment to nest, move, and interact naturally with their piglets.
- No barren, fully slatted floors: All pigs must be housed with suitable, comfortable flooring and provided with appropriate bedding.
- Enrichment materials as standard: Straw, chewable objects, or other manipulable materials are a requirement. Pigs need to explore and root to stay healthy and calm. Each breeding sow is guaranteed at least an additional 2kg of long-stemmed straw (or an equivalent substrate) of nesting material prior to farrowing.
- Higher welfare across all systems: The RSPCA welfare standards mean higher welfare regardless of the system - whether indoor, outdoor or free-range. A stand-alone label saying outdoor or free-range does not necessarily mean the animals have been reared in higher welfare conditions - but the RSPCA Assured label does. If you see our label, you can be confident that the product is higher welfare.
Tail-docking as a last resort: permitted only in certain circumstances, after approval by the RSPCA and the farm’s vet.
Commercial sense
According to a recent RSPCA Assured survey*, a whopping 85% of people said it’s important to them that farmed animals are cared for to higher welfare standards, and 61% said they would go to a different shop if they couldn’t find cage-free eggs**.
It just doesn’t make commercial sense to ignore such a large majority calling for better animal welfare. In my opinion, it’s clear that welfare isn’t just a question of morals anymore; it’s also the key to building trust and achieving long-term market success.
By adopting the RSPCA’s comprehensive welfare standards, producers can stand out from the competition and position themselves as genuine leaders in the industry. Our standards clearly demonstrate to supply chains, retailers, and consumers alike that welfare excellence isn’t just a marketing slogan; it’s the core of who we are.
While we appreciate the value of any assurance scheme striving to improve standards, RSPCA Assured holds a unique and highly trusted position in the marketplace. We firmly believe that for those who care about pig welfare and choose to eat pork products, RSPCA Assured remains the higher welfare label of choice.
**RSPCA Assured commissioned survey conducted by YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2139 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken in 16-17 July 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
***RSPCA Assured commissioned survey conducted by YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2068 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 3rd - 5th January 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
About the author
Toby Baker -Executive Director
A passionate advocate for farm animal welfare, Toby's proud that RSPCA Assured has helped improve the lives of millions of farm animals since it was launched 30 years ago.