We’re making improvements across our supply chain to make sure that all animals are treated with dignity and respect. In particular, we’re working closely with farmers to develop better ways of rearing animals. For example, we have formed farmer groups to benchmark health and welfare standards. We also use the ‘Five Freedoms’ framework to help define our animal welfare and sourcing policies. At Asda, we stipulate that all of our meat must be stunned pre-slaughter. For more information about our position on animal welfare, have a look at our Animal Welfare Policy.
We don’t test any of our own-brand beauty, toiletry or household products on animals. In fact, we haven’t tested any of the ingredients in our cosmetics or cleaning products on animals since the end of 2009 and 2015 respectively.
Animal Slaughter
At Asda we stipulate that all meat must be stunned pre-slaughter. For more information about Asda's position on animal welfare, have a look at our Animal Welfare Policy.
Reducing antibiotics in Food Production
We do not support the routine preventative use of antibiotics in livestock rearing. We work with suppliers and farmers on the reduction and responsible use of antibiotics without compromising animal welfare. We are also members of the Food Industry Initiative on Antimicrobials, and the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance, working across the food sector on this important topic.
Antibiotics are used in farm animals to treat, control and prevent disease. Some antibiotics used in animals are also used in human medicine, and are categorised as “critically important antimicrobials”. Consequently, there is more concern over the use of these products in medical and veterinary treatments.
Antibiotics should be used responsibly in human and veterinary medicine. This means not using antibiotics to treat viruses or as a substitute for good farm management practices, which reduce the risk of disease – as little as possible but as much as necessary. Asda does not support routine preventative use of antibiotics in livestock systems nor their use for production purposes i.e. for enhancing growth or to improve feed efficiency.
You can read our Asda specific survey results from 2018 here, however the supplier survey is now a national survey.
Pork
At Asda, our Own Brand fresh pork supply comes from recognised welfare schemes such as Red Tractor, or equivalent. Our main pork supplier uses on farm assessments of pig welfare using a set of five objectives and repeatable measures, carried out by veterinary surgeons as part of the Red Tractor Standard. Welfare outcomes are also monitored at EU supplier sites through audits, both on farm and processing sites.
The groups key results are:
Sharing of best practice
Network of peers
Mastitis levels are 13% below the national average
Reduced the groups carbon footprint by between 2008 – 2018 by 20% (Average GHG/Litre)
We receive data on several health and welfare topics:
We work with our supplier and farmer group to improve upon health and welfare outcomes through benchmarking and industry best practice.
As awareness of antibiotic resistance grows, all Asda Pathfinder farmers have been involved in training on responsible antibiotic use, the benchmarking of on-farm use and preventative medicine discussions. This information was combined with the health, welfare and economic benchmarking already undertaken to give a clear picture into the reasons behind antibiotic use amongst the groups, and the barriers to reducing use going forward. The health and welfare of animals has been a top priority during this process and the aim of this programme is to reduce antibiotic use through improvements in animal husbandry.
Below the 2020 RUMA targets (50% below in some cases) on dry cow antibiotic usage (2020) https://www.ruma.org.uk/
Antibiotic usage reduced by 11.4% in 2018 (after establishing usage in 2017)
Total ADD (Average Daily Dose) usage has fallen significantly
100% of our dairy cows are free from tethering
100% of our dairy cows are free from all routine docking
ASDA works on different research and development projects with our milk supplier to help improve animal health and welfare. For example, a temporary calf housing trial looking at aiming to identify the most effective solution for farmers who need to increase the amount of calf accommodation on their farms. This project helped farmers transition to the ‘Every Calf Has a Value’ policy where no healthy calf shall be slaughtered or euthanised on farm within the first eight weeks of life and ensure adequate housing during TB lockdown, thus increasing calf health and welfare. A final report on this project will be available in 2022. Other projects include health data harvesting to improve efficiency and welfare.
Chicken
All our ASDA chickens are reared to the Red Tractor standard, which is independently audited. Our chickens always have access to food, water, bedding, and enrichment with maximum stocking densities of 38kg/m2. We are currently working with our main fresh chicken supplier to decrease our stocking density by around 3%. Animal welfare is of paramount importance to us, and we work hard to ensure the birds in our care are healthy and happy. All our chickens are reared to high standards by trusted farmers, in large barns with natural light where they are free to roam around and engage in natural behaviours. Our birds have access to enrichment bales, perches and pecking objects and are regularly assessed. We are proud to operate a fully traceable supply chain, giving consumers peace of mind when enjoying our products.
100% of our birds have at least 1.5 bales or boxes per 1000 birds and 2.0m of perch per 1000 birds
100% of our chickens are provided with an appropriate litter, with 0% slats used
Even on the dullest days, 100% of our chickens will receive at least 20 lux light intensity
ASDA does not permit the prophylactic use of antibiotics, focusing on improving the overall health status on supplying farms and best practice. We do recognise that controlled intervention may be used to prevent the outbreak of disease under veterinary guidance. Over the past 12 months the average usage was 18.06mg/PCU (Population Correction Unit - animal population as well as the estimated weight of each animal at the time of treatment with antibiotics).
100% of our grow out birds are not subject to routine mutilations, including beak trimming.
Key welfare outcomes measured by our main chicken supplier:
Improving litter conditions and bird management has seen leg culls and hock burn decrease over the past 2 years. Our supplier continues to develop workstreams to improve our key welfare indicators. We are working with our main chicken supplier to research the relationship between stocking densities and health and welfare.
Eggs
Asda is committed to growing cage free egg sales and sourcing cage-free shell eggs by 2025 and are working with our suppliers on improving the welfare of the laying hens. We are also committed to using eggs used as ingredients from cage free systems by 2025.
In 2021 over 84% of eggs sales (£) (2020: 80%) were from non-cage systems.
