RSPCA campaign for slaughter labels

The RSPCA has launched a new campaign to change the law on how labels on meat show how an animal was killed

The campaign began in response to a proposal in the European Parliament which on labelling that will indicate if an animal was stunned before death.

The society is calling for its supporters to contact MEPs to add their signature of support for the proposal.
 
The RSPCA believes that if method of slaughter labelling becomes a requirement within the EU, it will provide consumers with clearer information about how animals are treated at the end of their life.

“We would rather see all animals pre-stunned before they are killed, however we believe labelling that clearly differentiates between animals that have been stunned or non pre-stunned is still a step in the right direction,” said Dr Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA’s farm animal science department.

“We believe all meat produced from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter should be clearly labelled in some way, so that it can be identified by consumers.  Consumers have the right to choose whether or not they wish to buy meat from animals slaughtered without pre-stunning,” she added.

The RSPCA has said that it recognises that religious beliefs and practices should be respected. But also believe it is important to ensure animals are slaughtered under the most humane conditions possible.

In 2011, the RSPCA supported amendments to the EU Food Information to Consumers Regulation which proposed to label meat products from 'special slaughter', for which the labelling would include: 'Meat from slaughter without stunning'. However the legislation was rejected.