As a passionate animal lover and supporter of the highest standard of animal welfare, I would prefer that all animals be stunned before slaughter. I also recognise the rights of Jewish and Muslim communities to eat meat that is killed in accordance with their religious beliefs.
I am also aware of the strength of feeling on the issue of non-stun slaughter, with the petition in June 2025 to ban it reaching over 109,000 signatures, on top of the strong commitment to animal welfare in this country. Non-stunned killing has been banned for many years, with the religious practice exception going back to the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933.
Trying to reconcile both sides does not mean that we cannot make significant improvements to animal welfare legislation. This includes looking at issues like over-supply: the killing of more animals without stunning than are required for religious purposes. A difference in the estimates of over-supply means that the Government should be working with the relevant stakeholders to establish evidence-based policy.
I believe that we should make it easier for the consumer to purchase food that aligns with their values by improving transparency and providing the industry with a level playing field to promote such products.
Measures such as effective labelling will help inform people about how animals are slaughtered. Many consumers are unaware of whether the meat they purchase comes from stunned or non-stunned animals. While there are currently no regulations that require the labelling of the method of slaughter, where any labelling or information of this nature is provided voluntarily, it must be accurate and not misleading to the consumer.
The previous Conservative Government launched a consultation into ways food labelling can be made fairer and clearer.
The current Labour Government responded to that consultation in June 2025 and confirmed that the Government will "consider the potential role of method of production labelling reform as part of the UK Government’s development of an overarching approach to animal welfare and the wider food strategy".
I worry that this is pushing any decision into the long grass and I hope to see the Government publish its plans for change as soon as possible. Consumers rightly expect to be able to make informed choices about how the food they buy is produced.