Disclose how animals are kept: Government wants labeling for counter meat

Disclosing the type of animal husbandry
Government wants labeling for counter meat

In order to make a contribution to avoiding waste, but also to more animal welfare, consumers like to buy their meat fresh at the counter. Contrary to expectations, however, this meat usually comes from less species-appropriate animal husbandry. The government wants to clarify with a label of origin.

The federal government wants to extend the obligation to label the origin of meat to unpackaged goods. So that consumers can also find out in which country the animal was raised and slaughtered in bulk goods, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture is preparing “a legislative proposal in which the rules already in force for non-prepacked fresh, chilled or frozen pork, sheep, Goat and poultry meat will be expanded,” said a ministry spokeswoman. The “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” had previously reported on it.

“This affects unprocessed meat that is offered in the meat counter, for example at the butcher, supermarket, farm shop or weekly market,” said the spokeswoman. At present, there is only an obligation to label the origin of pre-packaged meat. The ministry hopes for a European regulation and put pressure on the last EU agricultural and fisheries council at the end of September for the European Commission to present the announced draft for expanding the labeling of origin in a timely manner, said the spokeswoman.

Meat at the fresh food counters in supermarkets usually comes from less species-appropriate animal husbandry. This is reported by the RBB in its consumer magazine “Super.Markt”, citing queries from the environmental protection organization Greenpeace. This is confirmed by reviews from 2020 and 2021.

70 percent from the lowest level of husbandry

At that time, it was determined that almost 70 percent of the meat sold at fresh food counters came from the lowest level one, and another 23 percent from level two. According to Greenpeace, this is in stark contrast to the expectations of many consumers who would shop at fresh food counters with the intention of making a contribution to avoiding waste, but also to better animal welfare.

According to its own statements, Kaufland is an exception. “Since 2019, there has been pork, turkey and chicken at our service counters exclusively from animal welfare-friendly husbandry level three ‘outdoor climate’, according to the company, according to RBB. In addition, there are now small separate branches in individual branches of Kaufland and Edeka Offers at fresh food counters with an organic seal, which corresponds to husbandry type four.

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