Following calls by the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) for the Government to release delayed slaughter figures originally promised to be available last autumn, the Government has now released the statistics.
The RSPCA has responded quickly by stating the new figures indicate that meat from more than 90,000 animals slaughtered without stunning could have been sold in supermarkets unlabelled.
As the law stands, there is no mandatory requirement to label meat which has been slaughtered without stunning. The RSPCA say that because of this it means consumers are unaware that they are buying meat produced in this way. The RSPCA believe that 90,500 animals, mainly chickens, slaughtered for religious purposes, could have ended up in UK supermarkets unlabelled.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) report revealed more than 94 million animals were slaughtered without stunning in 2018 and, following the release of the figures, the RSPCA has renewed its calls for the UK Government to introduce a ban on this practice.
The figures were made available on the same day that the European Parliament voted for action from the EU Commission to end non-stun slaughter, which the RSPCA say shows a willingness to end this practice across the EU.
Figures specifically reveal that nearly a quarter (24%) of sheep meat that was not stunned before slaughter, was exported from the UK. This equates to around 750,000 sheep being slaughtered without prior stunning per year for consumption outside of the domestic market. The current derogation in the law that allows for non-stun slaughter for religious purposes is intended for domestic consumption only.
The BVE points out that although most of this meat is intended for EU markets including France, Belgium and the Netherlands, with post-Brexit trade deals currently in discussion, it brings into question where the remaining non-stun meat is sent. BVA also states that the survey reveals a lack of transparency with regards to some exports. For example, 19% of sheep meat was recorded as destined for ‘unknown’ locations. This lack of information was referenced within the survey as being due to non-mandatory questions being left incomplete by abattoirs.
Simon Doherty, BVA President, said: “The fact that nearly a quarter of non-stun sheep meat is being exported is highly significant, and we believe this goes against the spirit of the derogation that allows for non-stun slaughter purely for consumption by particular communities within the UK.
“It’s equally concerning that the export of some non-stun meat is going unreported, with a lack of clarity around where seven per cent of non-stun sheep meat is ending up, due to incomplete slaughterhouse data. While we’re pleased that the data has finally been made available thanks to joined-up work between the FSA and English and Welsh governments, clearly there is still a lot of work to do around ensuring that data is as robust and transparent as possible.
“We strongly believe that all non-stun slaughter should be banned in the UK in the interests of reducing welfare harm. However, while it continues, the government must make moves to cease the export of non-stun meat. Allowing this practice is out of keeping with legislation designed to limit it to meet domestic demand only.”
Dr Marc Cooper, head of farm animals at the RSPCA said: “We’re encouraged that these important Food Standards Agency slaughter figures have been released, following a joint letter last week from the RSPCA and the British Veterinary Association urging the UK Government to release these crucial statistics.
“The report highlights that over 94 million animals were slaughtered without stunning in 2018 - that’s an average of three animals every second. The RSPCA is against any slaughter of farm animals without stunning as the scientific evidence, and the view from the UK Government’s own advisors, concludes this practice can cause unnecessary suffering.”
The figures actually revealed that the proportion of animals that had been stunned prior to slaughter for halal meat last year (2018) had dropped significantly from previous years.
Dr Cooper added: "The RSPCA has been calling for an end to non-stun slaughter for many years, as it seriously compromises animal welfare. Our concern does not relate to the expression of religious belief but the welfare of animals. We need to follow the lead of other countries that have successfully banned non-stun slaughter: Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark, and more recently, the Flanders region of Belgium. We have seen how some countries such as New Zealand, have a vibrant export trade in stunned meat to Muslim countries such as Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, showing that trade need not be barrier to better protection of farm animals.”
In a previous joint statement the RSPCA and BVA had already suggested that until there is a change in the law to end non-stun slaughter, there are several measures the UK Government could introduce to reduce the alleged suffering involved in this practice. These include ensuring that trade deals with other countries do not include non-stun meat or live animals for non-stun slaughter. Furthermore, clear labelling could be adopted to enable consumers to make an ‘informed choice’ about the meat they buy and how it was slaughtered.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
