Waitrose is set to enhance animal welfare within its Italian pork supply chain by implementing a ‘confinement-free’ approach by 2025.
- The British retailer is aligning its European pork sourcing standards with its UK-based high welfare benchmarks.
- Charcuterie products sourced from Europe under the protected designation of origin are part of this plan.
- Waitrose’s campaign, reinforced by Compassion In World Farming, highlights its commitment to animal welfare across various product lines.
- By 2025, all suppliers in Italy will adhere to the same stringent standards as those in the UK.
Waitrose is making significant strides towards enhancing animal welfare within its Italian pork supply chain by aiming to achieve a ‘confinement-free’ status by the year 2025. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the British retailer to elevate its European standards to match its established UK benchmarks known for high welfare practices.
The retailer sources part of its charcuterie products from Europe, specifically under the protected designation of origin. However, the drive to improve supplier standards reflects Waitrose’s commitment to ensuring the same level of welfare across its supply chains.
Jake Pickering, Waitrose’s senior agriculture manager, stated that the retailer is on the verge of announcing the Italian supply chain as ‘confinement-free’. In the United Kingdom, a majority of the supermarkets’ farmers already operate without using confinement stalls, rearing pigs in outdoor environments. He noted: ‘It’s safe to say that our international pork supply chain is not quite where our British one is for our continental and cured meat, but we’ve got a firm plan endorsed by the Compassion In World Farming of where we need to get to and we will be there by 2025.’
This move is bolstered by a recent animal welfare campaign launched by Waitrose, emphasising a ‘no compromise’ stance on welfare values. The campaign seeks to assure customers of the retailer’s comprehensive welfare practices, which extend to ingredients used in its own-label products, including ready meals, pies, and pizzas. Jake Pickering asserted: ‘The meat and dairy used in our primal offering is also the same as in our ready meals, our pies, and pizzas. When we say no compromise, we really do mean that.’
Waitrose is poised to set a new standard for animal welfare in its Italian pork supply chain by 2025, aligning it with its stringent UK practices.
