Following the inclusion of crabs, lobsters and prawns in the UK’s 2022 Animal Welfare Act, the animal welfare organisation Crustacean Compassion has released a report on the companies that are implementing their own seafood welfare policies.
More than 420 million crabs, lobsters, langoustines and prawns/shrimp are caught in the UK annually, and a further five billion prawns and other crustaceans are imported. The welfare report looks at their treatment across all aspects of the supply chain - capture and handling, holding and storage, transport, mutilations, stunning and slaughter.
The report included all major supermarkets. Of the businesses, 50 percent have developed formal welfare policies, while 70 percent believe crustacean welfare to be a business issue.
“Since animals like crabs and lobsters were legally recognised as sentient and able to feel pain, companies have rightly been under increased scrutiny about how their practices impact the welfare of the animals involved. The Snapshot will show how decapod welfare is currently being addressed across the industry right now and will drive welfare improvements across the sector,” said Claire Howard, Director at Crustacean Compassion.
“Customers expect to be able to buy seafood that has been produced to high standards of animal welfare and we have been asked which brands and companies have the most humane practices. The food industry has a responsibility to both meet those expectations and provide the necessary information to enable consumers to make informed choices.”
