Are They Buying It? United States Consumers’ Changing Attitudes toward More Humanely Raised Meat, Eggs, and Dairy

The lack of a consistent approval process for animal welfare claims in the US has allowed for misleading labeling of meat, eggs, and dairy. Products that do have meaningful welfare certifications tend to be more expensive. We administered a survey to determine consumers’ attitudes towards welfare certifications and the willingness to pay for foods from animals raised under more humane conditions. Most respondents (78%) thought it was important to know that animal-welfare assessments are conducted by an independent third party or the federal government (and not only the industry producer). The majority of respondents would be willing to pay extra for foods with a trustworthy welfare certification both in supermarkets and in restaurants. Our findings underscore the importance of eliminating fraudulent or misleading claims that can erode consumer trust and suggest that retailers can best serve consumers who are interested in higher welfare products by stocking products with certifications that convey meaningful information on the animal welfare standards from the source farms