'Sainsbury's Freedom Food Endorsed Pork' Launched

UK - Sainsbury’s range of higher-welfare pork has more than doubled, as growth in demand for affordable meat is raised under better conditions.
calendar icon 17 September 2008
clock icon 3 minute read

According to Meatinfo, the new range of pork is bred outdoors on farms inspected by Freedom Food to strict RSPCA welfare standards and hits Sainsbury’s stores today.


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"We are doing everything we can to improve animal welfare while still providing our customers with choice and good value. This is why we have launched a new range of pork, which has been reared to standards set by the RSPCA and inspected by Freedom Food."
Judith Batchelar, director of Sainsbury’s brand

The range, known as ‘Sainsbury’s Freedom Food Endorsed Pork’, has been launched to satisfy consumers' demand for higher-welfare meat at affordable prices. A pack of two pork chops will cost around 14p more than a standard pack, providing customers with choice and good value.

The new pork range is the third RSPCA Freedom Food range to be launched by Sainsbury’s this year. The retailer recently doubled its range of higher-welfare chicken, and sales are currently up 156% year-on-year despite the credit crunch. The pigs are bred outdoors and reared in comfortable, straw-bedded barns where they have more room to roam, forage for food and explore their environment.

Judith Batchelar, director of Sainsbury’s brand, said: “We are doing everything we can to improve animal welfare while still providing our customers with choice and good value. This is why we have launched a new range of pork, which has been reared to standards set by the RSPCA and inspected by Freedom Food.

“Sales of higher-welfare chicken have risen by 156% since we doubled the range, which demonstrates the strength of feeling for animal welfare issues and with greater availability of affordable options, our customers don’t have to compromise.“

Rowen West-Henzell, food policy manager for Compassion in World Farming said: “Sainsbury’s is again showing leadership by providing consumers with improved access to higher-welfare animal products at affordable prices. We applaud Sainsbury’s for choosing outdoor breeding without the use of farrowing crates, which confine sows after giving birth.“

Pork farmer Andrew Peddie who supplies Sainsbury’s said: “We have been rearing pigs for 19 years and have always been committed to improving welfare standards. I am really excited that Sainsbury’s is supporting farmers like me to convert farms to the Freedom Food scheme and I’m sure it will be a great success in-store.“

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