Animal Welfare

Campaign urges Brits to give up dairy for International Women's Day

© Animal Justice Project
Charity & Campaigns

Campaign Urges British Consumers to Give Up Dairy for International Women’s Day

UK charity Animal Justice Project is calling on the British public to avoid dairy products on International Women’s Day, which takes place on March 8. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the treatment of cows in the dairy industry. As part of the campaign, Animal Justice Project has commissioned research to gauge consumer awareness of common dairy industry practices. The results indicate low awareness among the majority of respondents — for example, 52% did not know that dairy cows are impregnated annually to enable milk production, while 83% were unaware that calves are often separated from cows within 24 hours of birth. Furthermore, 82% did not know that dairy cows are typically slaughtered between the ages of 5 and 7, despite having a natural …

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Gen Z

Image: Anna Shvets on Pexels
Studies & Numbers

Study: Gen Z Believes More Action is Needed to Protect Animals and the Environment

A new study by Faunalytics and Good Growth Co has examined the attitudes of Generation Z (commonly defined as individuals born between 1997 and 2012) to environmental and animal protection. The study collected data from educated youth in the United States, Indonesia, Thailand, and China via surveys and interviews. The results indicate that the majority have a preference for ethical products. Just 31% and 34% of respondents said society was doing enough to protect animals and the environment respectively. However, the focus was mainly on companion and wild animals, with farm animals rarely mentioned. When asked why they believed animals and the environment should be protected, study participants mentioned a range of factors, including protecting the planet for future generations and helping animals for their …

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Pigs in gestation crate

Image courtesy of Coller Foundation

Agriculture / Agribusiness

Study: Up to 96% of Brits Oppose Common Animal Farming Practices

Data from Bryant Research has found that the vast majority of the British public opposes a range of common farming practices. For example, 94% of respondents disapprove of keeping chickens in a cage as small as an A4 sheet of paper, while 96% oppose keeping pigs in cages where they cannot turn around. 87% are against cutting off the beaks of newborn chicks, and 85% oppose killing male chicks because they cannot produce eggs. For every practice studied, disapproval rates are at least 75%. The figures show that these practices remain prevalent despite widespread public opposition. For example, 99% of male chicks in the egg industry are currently killed, while 90% of calves have their horn buds removed with a hot iron. However, prevalence data …

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© Mosa Meat
Cultivated, Cell-Cultured & Biotechnology

Study Predicts Cultivated Meat Could Slash Social Costs of Animal Meat by Over Half

Does cultivated meat have the potential to reduce the impact of traditional meat production on the environment, workers, and animals? A recent study by the Dutch project PPP True Price: from Insight to Action reveals that by 2030, the overall social costs of cultivated meat from RESPECTfarms could be 2 to 3.5 times lower than conventional meat from dairy cows, chicken, and pork produced in the Netherlands. The research, conducted by Wageningen Economic Research and CE Delft, employed the True Cost Accounting (TCA) method to analyze how the impact of meat production relates to the production of cultured meat and express it in euros. Switching to cultivated meat According to Pelle Sinke, a researcher at CE Delft, the advantage of cultivated meat relies on its more efficient conversion of feed …

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VFC Believe in Chickens campaign

© VFC
Marketing & Media

VFC Condemns Hypocrisy & Cruelty Inherent in KFC Campaign: “KFC Believes in Chicken, Whereas VFC Believes in Chickens”

Activist-led UK brand VFC has accused KFC of hypocrisy after the chain launched a major ad campaign encouraging consumers to “Believe in Chicken”. According to VFC, KFC’s representation of chicken cannot be trusted. Consequently, the brand has launched a social media campaign featuring a modified version of KFC’s billboard creative, altering the message to “Believe in Chickens”. By addressing chickens in the plural, VFC aims to highlight that they are living creatures that deserve to be treated with compassion. Unlike KFC’s campaign, which features images of fried chicken, VFC’s version shows how farmed chickens are treated. This is not the first time VFC has challenged the fast food chain — in 2022, the brand condemned a “misleading” KFC campaign where an influencer was invited to …

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caged chickens

©Compassion in World Farming
Charity & Campaigns

93% of Global Food Companies Receive Low Ratings for Animal Welfare Improvements

A new version of the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) has found that the vast majority of global food companies are making poor progress towards improving animal welfare. While 95% of the benchmarked companies recognize farm animal welfare as a core business issue, a huge 93% have received E or F ratings (the lowest possible) for Performance Impact, a measure of whether animals are protected from inhumane practices. Some of the lowest-rated companies are Amazon Whole Foods, Domino’s Pizza Inc., Müller, and Tyson Foods. No company received an A or B rating, and only 4% achieved a C. Furthermore, 19 companies — including Yum China Holdings and Domino’s Pizza Inc. — do not even have a formal farm animal welfare policy. 52% of …

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Plant-based tacos

© Zess
Health

Plant-Based Diets Combat the Obesity and Climate Crises, Says Top EU Scientific Advisor

Plant-based diets promote human health, combat climate change, and foster a more sustainable food system, highlights Eric Lambin, a member of the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and co-author of Towards Sustainable Food Consumption. In a recent interview published in Horizon magazine, Lambin, a geography and sustainability science professor at UCLouvain, Belgium, discussed the need for a more sustainable and healthy food system.  “We are now facing a public health crisis – with widespread overweight, obesity and malnutrition issues — and a global environmental crisis,” he told Horizon. To tackle obesity and climate change, Lambin recommends shifting towards plant-based diets, emphasizing legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, reducing meat consumption, and prioritizing sustainably sourced fish and seafood. He also noted the need to reduce …

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PETA Animal Testing Must End

©PETA
Politics & Law

Breaking: Cruelty Free Cosmetics ECI Receives European Parliament Hearing

The European Citizens Initiative Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without animal testing reached more than 1.2 million validated signatures in January. Vegconomist learns today that, as a next step in the campaign’s journey, a parliamentary hearing has been held by the Committees of the European Parliament. Today’s hearing was divided into three parts: Protect and strengthen the cosmetics animal testing ban: initiate legislative change to achieve consumer, worker and environmental protection for all cosmetics ingredients without testing on animals for any purpose at any time. Transform EU chemicals regulation: ensure human health and the environment are protected by managing chemicals without the addition of new animal testing requirements.  Modernise science in the EU: commit to a legislative proposal, plotting a roadmap to …

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Two brown cows/ cattle

© Mosa Meat
Studies & Numbers

24% of Brits Willing to Cut Down on Dairy Due to Poor Treatment of Cows

Research by animal rights charity Viva! has found that most Brits are unaware of the treatment of cows in the dairy industry, with many saying they will cut down after learning the truth. 30% of respondents were unaware that around 1 in 5 dairy cows are kept indoors all year round, with no option to go outside. 69% said they opposed the practice, while 56% thought it should be banned and 49% said they would not buy dairy produced in this way. Just 41% of participants were aware that cows must give birth to produce milk, with only 27% knowing that calves are removed from their mothers shortly after being born. Once they had heard the facts, 24% were prepared to cut down on their …

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Vegan Friendly

© David Gambin/Vegan Friendly
Charity & Campaigns

Campaign by Vegan Friendly UK Highlights Number of Animals Killed for Human Consumption

The UK branch of international nonprofit Vegan Friendly has launched an ad campaign at Oxford Circus station on the London Underground. The advertisement, which is expected to reach 2.5 million people, highlights that 322,860 animals will be killed for food worldwide in the eight seconds it takes to read the text. It has been placed in the middle of the westbound Central Line platform, one of the highest footfall areas in London. Vegan Friendly hopes the ad will help the public understand the impact of buying animal products. The organisation said it believed that consumers would be reluctant to support animal agriculture if they knew the truth about the way animals are treated. First of many campaigns Vegan Friendly was founded in Israel in 2012, …

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Chris & Sebastiano, ForGood

Chris Smalling & Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni
Company News

List of High Profile ‘Changemakers’ Join Chris Smalling’s ForGood Fund

Earlier this year, athlete and investor Chris Smalling, in partnership with Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni and Rebecca Wheeler, launched global investment firm ForGood, with the purpose of investing in companies that address the world’s largest environmental challenges and help end animal suffering.  In a recent announcement, the investment consultancy revealed the names of four new high-profile ‘changemakers’ joining the ForGood community: Helen Skelton, an English television presenter and actress; Barcelona footballer Héctor Bellerín; Australian Snooker Star Neil Robertson; and English-Moroccan Musician Zak Abel. According to ForGood, anyone that invests in planet-friendly ideas, products, and services becomes a ‘changemaker’, hence the concept behind the changemakers community.  ForGood connects athletes, musicians, entertainers, and personalities with early-stage businesses focused on tackling social, environmental, and animal welfare issues, making investing …

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Gestation Crate Pigs McDonald's

Pigs in gestation crates ©The Humane Society
Agriculture / Agribusiness

Sponsored Post

Ctrl Alt Meat: Saving the Bacon – the Crate Debate

by Katie Briefel

We have seen the issue of gestation crates rise to prominence in recent months, in particular, due to a campaign led by Carl Icahn against Mcdonald’s. The activist investor called for two nominees to be elected to the board of directors to improve the company’s animal welfare standards, but the motion was voted down by shareholders last month. The reason for Icahn’s campaign and the media attention it subsequently garnered is due to McDonald’s failure to make good on its pledge to phase out the use of gestation crates. The inescapable facts The use of gestation crates is a common practice in the pork industry and is used to store farmed sows (female pigs) in small, metal enclosures during pregnancy to save space and reduce …

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kfc marketing campaign

© VFC
Marketing & Media

VFC Condemns KFC Marketing Campaign as “Utterly Misleading”

Plant-based fried chicken brand VFC has responded furiously to a new KFC marketing campaign that appears to show high welfare standards at a farm supplying the fast-food chain. For the campaign, KFC teamed up with social media influencer Niko Omilana, inviting him to go “behind the bucket” at the chicken farm. The film shows the floor of the shed covered in fresh straw, perches and bells provided to enrich the chickens’ lives, healthy birds, and a reasonable amount of space. But VFC was sceptical, having investigated several poultry farms and found consistently poor conditions. The company, which has previously said it intends to “take on the chicken industry” and “end factory farming”, tracked down the farm used in the film and entered with a filmmaker. …

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Mouse rat mice lab animal testing

© filin174 - stock.adobe.com

Science

Plant-Based Drug Tests Could Make Laboratory Animal Testing Obsolete 

Plant-based drug tests currently under development by researchers in Russia may make it possible to drastically cut down on animal testing in medicine. The new nanomedicine testing system is based on plant leaves and their vasculature.  “We want to attract the attention of the scientific community to the problem of irrational usage of laboratory animals” Starting with a spinach leaf, researchers at the SCAMT Institute at ITMO University in St. Petersburg, Russia, developed a model based on the leaf’s vasculature with all cell components removed apart from the cell walls. This cellulose model is then similar in size and shape to the arterioles and capillaries of the human brain, with the plant tissue more durable and stable than that of animals.  Both traditional and nanopharmaceutical …

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©Mongkolchon - stock.adobe.com
Cosmetics & Bodycare

After a 23-Year Ban, Animal Testing For Cosmetic Industry Could Be Reinstated in the UK

The UK has been one of the pioneering countries in abandoning animal testing for the cosmetics industry. Indeed, animal testing has been banned since 1998, well before the EU bans that took place in 2004 for “finished” cosmetic products and in 2009 for the ingredients that make up these products. This month, however, the UK authorities said they are considering the reintroduction of animal testing for ingredients used exclusively for the cosmetics industry. According to the statement, some ingredients “must be tested on animals to ensure their safety”. Dr Katy Taylor, Director of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at the NGO Cruelty Free International (CFI), which works for the end of animal testing, said: “The government says that even ingredients used solely in cosmetics, which have …

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© MSL Solution Providers
Cosmetics & Bodycare

MSL Supports The Body Shop & Other Cosmetics Companies in Commitment to Developing Vegan Products

This year, the global vegan cosmetics industry was projected to be worth approximately $21.4 billion by 2027. To support the commitment of companies in this industry to a vegan lifestyle, MSL Solution Providers conducts microbiological testing using animal-free culture media and without animal testing. The breakthrough VeganSure® solution replaces all animal ingredients with plant-based or synthetic alternatives to ensure the safety of a cosmetic product without compromising vegan ethics. With this innovative testing solution, brands can take a 360° approach and ensure that their formulations are animal-free from development to microbiological testing. As part of its commitment to deliver 100% vegan formulas of its products by 2023, The Body Shop was one of the first companies to start switching micro-challenge testing to VeganSure solutions. Anne-Laure …

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Compassion in World Farming

© Compassion in World Farming
Society

Historic Commitment by the European Commission to Ban Cages in Animal Farming Across the EU

In a landmark ruling, the European Commission has made a historic commitment to phase out cages in animal farming throughout the EU. Cages for hens, mother pigs, calves, rabbits, ducks, geese, and other farmed animals will be phased out by 2027 at the latest. “It feels like one of these moments in history when the tide is turning” Driven by the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative supported by the Compassion in World Farming group, over 1.4 million citizens across all EU member states signed the petition, applying insurmountable pressure for change. This is the first successful initiative providing a voice for the 300 million farmed animals in the EU spending their lives in cages, pens, or stalls that make it hard or impossible …

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cruelty-free-vegan-beauty

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Cosmetics & Bodycare

Vegan Trademark Now Offering Animal-free Alternative To Safety Tests For Cosmetic Products

While testing cosmetics ingredients and products on animals is restricted in the UK, many of the alternative tests on offer are still likely to use or contain animal matter. The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark is working to change that and from today, 1st of June, will be working with Advanced Development and Safety Laboratories (ADSL) to offer a vegan alternative. “For too long cosmetic products that don’t contain a single trace of animal products in their ingredients have had to be testing under a system that contains animal matter.” As it currently stands, in order for a cosmetic product to land on supermarket shelves, a variety of information about its ingredients, and testing of those ingredients, must be compiled to ensure the product is safe …

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©Mongkolchon - stock.adobe.com
Science

The End of Animal Testing In Sight as GlassWall Syndicate Partners with Center for Contemporary Science

Maryland-based nonprofit Center for Contemporary Sciences (CCS) has announced a new partnership with sustainable VC group GlassWall Syndicate (GWS), a group made up of foundations, trusts, non-profits, and individual investors who share a similar investment thesis and want to make a difference in the lives of animals, people and the planet.

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Xcellr8 leaders

©XCELLR8
Science

XCellR8 Receives £100,000 from Unilever and AstraZeneca For Animal-Free Lab Testing

XCellR8, a UK-based, GLP-accredited laboratory focused exclusively on animal-free safety and efficacy tests, announces it has secured £100,000 from Unilever and AstraZeneca to develop vegan-friendly testing for new cosmetics and personal care products. The company says that it is “the only lab globally to make our tests entirely animal-product-free (or vegan); we don’t use serum, tissues or antibodies extracted from animals”.

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