• Potrosaci3

Consumers

“A lot of factors influence the production of safe and healthy food

but the animal health and welfare are the most important.”

(World Organisation for Animal Health-OIE, 2004)

Why consumers care about animal welfare?

In recent years, consumers are increasingly aware about the importance of the high quality, safe and healthy diet. One of the factors influencing their buying habits certainly is animal welfare. The consumers want better welfare for animals used in food production, knowing the quality and safety of food are linked to the way in which the animals are treated on a farm.

Consumers in Serbia and in the EU have similar attitudes

“Increasing numbers of European consumers are concerned about the welfare of animals 
raised for food such as meat, eggs and dairy products.”

(EU document “From farm to fork”, 2004)

Consumers believe that farm animals should be kept, fed and reproduced in natural environments and in such a way as to satisfy their needs and enable them to express their natural behaviour. They want to buy food products from higher animal welfare production systems.

In European Union (depending on the country), 21-67% consumers consider animal welfare when purchasing meat and meat products (Eurobarometer 2006), while in Serbia this percentage is 50% (Ipsos Strategic Marketing, 2010).

Eurobarometer research has shown that in the European Union (depending on the country), 33-81% of consumers would be prepared to pay a price premium for hen’s eggs sourced from an animal welfare friendly production system (Eurobarometer 2006), while in Serbia this percentage is 63% (Ipsos Strategic Marketing, 2010).

The increasing interest from the consumers for purchasing food products produced in line with the animal welfare standards is encouraging producers and retailers in the EU to provide the supply of such products.

Consumers in Serbia and in the EU do not have the same opportunity to choose

“Less than 1% of eggs in Serbia are produced in line with the newest legislation on keeping laying hens in the EU. This is one of the reasons why eggs are not on a list of products intended for export into the EU” (Media Research Centre, 2012)

In the EU countries, the consumers have the opportunity to choose between the factory farmed food and the food produced in line with the animal welfare standards. Unfortunately, in Serbia, that is not the case. There is no market in Serbia for products sourced from an animal welfare friendly production system.

ORCA wants to create positive change together with the consumers!

By making choices about purchasing certain food in our everyday life, we influence the creation of a demand and consequently the supply as well. If we choose to support the producers who are complying with animal welfare standards and purchase their products, we shall not only eat better quality food, but also bring better quality of life for thousands of animals currently living on farms in Serbia.