Perceived importance and responsibility for market-driven pig welfare: Literature review

This review explores barriers and opportunities for market-driven pig welfare in Europe. It finds, first, that consumers generally rank animal welfare as important, but they also rank it low relative to other societal problems. Second, consumers have a wide range of concerns about pig welfare, but they focus especially on naturalness. Third, pig welfare is seen as an important indicator of meat quality. Fourth, consumers tend to think that responsibility for pig welfare lies with several actors: farmers, governments and themselves. The paper concludes that there is an opportunity for the market-driven strategy to sell a narrative about naturalness supplemented with other attractive qualities (such as eating quality). It also emphasizes that pig welfare needs to be on the political/societal agenda permanently if it is to be viewed as an important issue by consumers and if consumers are to assume some sort of responsibility for it. •In market driven animal welfare, naturalness is the most important argument.•Animal welfare is seen as an important indicator for meat quality including eating quality.•Animal welfare rank lower in consumers mind, than other societal problems.•The societal agenda is important if consumers are to take responsibility for animal welfare.