Companies have faced each other since the first assessment of animal welfare standards for crab, lobster and shrimpThey were legally recognized as being sentient and able to feel pain.
- Following the inclusion of decapod crustaceans – animals such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp – under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, Crustacean Compassion has launched the UK’s first industry benchmark, The Snapshot, to raise animal welfare standards for decapod crustaceans in the UK Assess nutrition supply chain.
- 30 UK companies – including all major supermarkets – were evaluated in the benchmark, revealing that only 50% of companies have developed formal policies on some aspects of decapod crustacean welfare and only one on decapod crustacean welfare among consumers encourages.
- On average, retailers are leaders in welfare policy, management and reporting.
- The snapshot is fully available via Crustacean Compassion website.
The snapshot The report is the first assessment by leading fish producers, processors, retailers and wholesalers in the UK of animal welfare standards for decapod crustaceans such as crab, lobster and shrimp.
Commissioned by award-winning animal welfare organizations, compassion for crustaceansand relieved by Chronos sustainability, The snapshot was released today (Wednesday, January 25).
Every year, more than 420 million crabs, lobsters, langoustines and prawns are caught in the UK (1) and a further 5 billion prawns and other crustaceans are imported from overseas (2). The snapshot looks at their welfare at all stages of the supply chain: capture and handling, custody and storage, transportation, mutilation, stunning and slaughter.
Claire Howard, Director at Crustacean Compassion, said:
“Ever since animals like crabs and lobsters were legally recognized as being sentient and able to feel pain, companies have rightly come under closer scrutiny as to how their practices affect the welfare of the animals involved. The snapshot shows how decapod welfare is currently being addressed across the industry and will drive welfare improvements across the sector.
Customers expect to be able to buy seafood that has been produced to high standards of animal welfare, and we’ve been asked which brands and companies employ the most humane practices. The food industry has a responsibility to meet these expectations and provide the information necessary to enable consumers to make informed choices.”
Retailers are at the forefront of welfare policy, administration and reporting, but there is still work to be done
The Snapshot evaluated 30 UK seafood companies including well-known brands, all major supermarkets and local seafood specialists. The report shows that 70% of companies view crustacean welfare as a business concern, in part due to growing consumer concerns. In contrast, only 50% have developed a formal social policy.
While retailers are leaders in several key areas, including adherence to policies, enforcing their policies, and reporting animal welfare standards, only a rated company promotes the welfare of decapod crustaceans to its customers – and that is a manufacturer, not a retailer.
The benchmark will be repeated later in 2023, showing which companies are taking decapod welfare seriously and making improvements in this important area. While this first report will not include company ratings, subsequent reports will publish all company ratings and a ranking, allowing consumers to make informed choices for higher welfare products that avoid inhumane practices such as eye-stalk stripping and slaughter by drowning, suffocation and Avoid cooking alive.
The development of The Snapshot has involved consultation with industry and this ongoing engagement will ensure that decapods, businesses and consumers all benefit.
the full report, The Snapshot: Industry Benchmark for Decapod Crustacean Welfare is available on the Crustacean Compassion website.
(1) Crustacean Compassion (2020). Report on the magnitude of the impact.
(2) Crustacean Compassion (2021). A scale of animal impacts – shrimp/shrimp imports.
