Some of the biggest names in global food production, including Aramark, Compass Group, Elior Group, IKEA Food Services, Nestlé, Sodexo and Unilever, have joined forces to create the Global Coalition for Animal Welfare (GCAW).
The new body has been described as the 'world’s first food industry-led initiative aimed at advancing animal welfare globally', and the companies therein boast combined revenues of €139 billion, serving some 3.7 billion customers per day.
According to a statement on the GCAW website, the group has been formed 'to collectively address systemic barriers to improving animal welfare, accelerate the development of standards and drive progress on key welfare issues.
'Today, more than 70 billion land animals are farmed for food annually, and, by 2050, livestock production is expected to double what it was in 2000.'
Main Objectives
GCAW will seek to provide a platform for food firms to work more closely with animal welfare experts, prioritise welfare issues and develop roadmaps for industry change, and advance knowledge about animal welfare globally.
In a separate statement, Nestlé said its involvement within GCAW builds on its existing commitment on farm animal welfare.
Last year Nestlé announced that it will source cage free eggs only as ingredients for all its food products globally by 2025.
'Ensuring decent farm animal welfare standards in Nestlé’s supply chain is part of the company’s purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future,' the company said.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
