We surveyed the UK’s top supermarkets and discovered the majority are still selling pork from factory farms in their own-brand fresh pork ranges. So, if you need a guide to buying pork, to know how to shop more ethically when it comes to buying pork in the supermarket, here’s everything you need to know.
All M&S own-brand fresh pork is a minimum of RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred standard. This gives M&S a high minimum welfare standard throughout their own-brand fresh pork. Within their ‘Speciality’ range they stock some free range and organic pork too.
All of Waitrose’s own-brand fresh pork is comes from UK RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred farms as a minimum standard. This gives Waitrose a high minimum welfare standard throughout their own-brand fresh pork range.
All of Co-op’s own-brand fresh pork is sourced from RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred farms. This gives Co-op a high minimum welfare standard throughout their own-brand fresh pork.
Sainsbury’s own-brand fresh pork products are mostly UK Standard or EU Standard, both of which have a low minimum standard of welfare. However, Sainsbury’s ‘Taste the Difference’ range is RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred, which has a high minimum standard of welfare. So, make sure you seek out the ‘Taste the Difference’ range if buying fresh pork products from Sainsbury’s.
Aldi stocks a lot of EU Standard, UK Standard & Red Tractor own-brand fresh pork, which all have a low minimum welfare standard. Some of Aldi’s ‘Specially Selected’ range of fresh pork is RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred, which has a high minimum welfare standard. So, make sure you seek out the ‘Specially Selected’ range if buying fresh pork products from Aldi – and make sure that product has the RSPCA Assured logo & the words ‘outdoor bred’ on the packaging.
Two thirds of Lidl’s own-brand fresh pork is Red Tractor, which has a low minimum welfare standard. The rest of Lidl’s fresh pork is their ‘Deluxe’ range which is RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred, which has a high minimum welfare standard. So, make sure you seek out the ‘Deluxe’ range if buying fresh pork products from Lidl.
Morrisons own-brand fresh pork products are Red Tractor or EU Standard, both of which have a low minimum welfare standard. Morrisons ‘The Best’ range is no improvement as this is also almost entirely Red Tractor. A very small number of ‘The Best’ cured ham products are RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred, which have a high minimum welfare standard. So, unless you are buying cured ham, it is very difficult to buy high welfare pork in Morrisons.
Tesco stocks Red Tractor, UK Standard and EU Standard own-brand fresh pork products, which all have a low minimum welfare standard. However, all of Tesco’s ‘Finest’ fresh pork range is RSPCA Assured & Outdoor Bred, which has a high minimum welfare standard. So, make sure you seek out the ‘Finest’ range if buying fresh pork products from Tesco.
Most of Iceland’s own-brand fresh pork is EU Standard, which has low minimum standard of welfare. Iceland’s ‘Luxury’ range is Red Tractor Assured, which also has a low minimum standard of welfare. It is therefore not possible to buy high welfare own-brand fresh pork from Iceland.
The vast majority of ASDA’s own-brand fresh pork is either EU Standard or Red Tractor Assured, which both have a low minimum welfare standard. Asda’s ‘Extra Special’ range is also Red Tractor Assured, which has a low minimum standard of welfare. Over half of ASDA’s fresh pork is imported from Europe. If you are very lucky you may occasionally be able to find a very small selection of Outdoor Bred cuts at the meat counter.
What do the Pork Labels Mean for Pigs?
Use our pork labelling guide to find out what the labels really mean for pigs. Only buy high welfare labels, such as *RSPCA Assured, Free Range or best of all Organic.
What Can You do to Help?
We are calling on people to help end factory farming by signing a letter addressed to unethical high street food chain & supermarket CEOs, urging them to only source high welfare pork across their entire own brand ranges.
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I hate this marketing ploy of “ our door bred” when they are trying to paint a rosy picture. When in fact they are moved to big sheds for intensive weaning and high soya and fish meal based feeds. This happens next door to me and they are on the whole not happy pigs. It’s a big con!
No ratings on the slaughterhouses? ? Some may have more “freedom” but they all end their lives traveling in packed in cages, in fear and pain. And the pigs that are killed are only babies, a few months old.
I always get very upset, quite naturally to see any animal , creature, insect, struggling for their natural liberty, I despise seeing animals in the back of trailers, on their way who knows where, grossly upsetting, ruins my day, certainly eat only kindly sourced produce, very little meat eaten to avoid all the animal slaughter, I hope some pet food supplies could go down the route of coded kindness to animal farming.