Record-breaking demand for Freedom Food

 A record-breaking 532 million farm animals are being reared to RSPCA higher welfare standards under our Freedom Food scheme - a 46 per cent increase since 2008 - proving that British shoppers are standing firm by animal welfare in 2010. Top of the Freedom Food charts is salmon – up a whopping 56 per cent in 2009, from just over 281 million in 2008 to nearly 440 million fish. This represents about 60 per cent of Scottish salmon production. This news follows a recent consumer survey from IGD, the food and grocery research body, that found that animal welfare standards have risen up the list of priorities for shoppers when choosing food and grocery products. In January 2010, 19 per cent of shoppers said that animal welfare standards influenced their shopping decisions, compared with just 10 per cent in 2006. This result comes a year after separate campaigns were launched by RSPCA. Leigh Grant, Freedom Food chief executive, said that faced with the credit crunch they had been worried the number of animals under Freedom Food would also take a downturn. “But thanks to consistent consumer demand for higher welfare, the opposite has happened. “It’s incredibly encouraging that in spite of the economic decline, people don’t want to compromise on animal welfare and are still prepared to pay a little more for Freedom Food labelled products. And as we start to head out of recession I’ve no doubt we will see the trend accelerate even more.”