Livestock

All Tesco fresh meat, milk, eggs, farmed fish is subject to the strict standards laid out in our Codes of Practice. We apply equivalent standards to overseas producers.

The standards we have in place for livestock ensure that all Tesco fresh meat, farmed fish and animal products have the highest standards of food safety. They also address animal health and welfare, animal feed, animal medicine usage and environmental management and biodiversity.

The Codes of Practice cover all aspects of an animal’s life from birth, through their life on the farm, transportation and eventually slaughter. They cover not only animals bred for meat but also the breeding stock.

Tesco have a dedicated Agricultural Team who manage the implementation of our Livestock Codes of practice within the Tesco supply base. The Agriculture Team also work closely with veterinary surgeons, animal welfare experts, food safety experts and environmental specialists to advise on all aspects of livestock production. We also consult with our suppliers and processors when discussing what standards can be achieved. In this way, we ensure our Codes of Practice are achievable and based on the latest scientific evidence.

National Farm Assurance Schemes

Tesco require that all farms, processing plants and where applicable hatcheries and breeding stock are accredited to an independent farm assurance scheme (to ISO Guide65 1996 : BSEN45011,1998). Tesco accepts most of the UK national farm assurance schemes as a baseline to meeting our farm standards for livestock production. We work hard with the Schemes to ensure that they address customer concerns.

In some areas of livestock production, no farm assurance scheme exists. In these areas (e.g. Quail, Goose, Veal) Tesco sets and applies appropriate standards

There are some areas where we require suppliers to exceed the requirements of the assurance schemes and the law. We do this where we believe that customer requirements are not already being met. Examples of this include limiting animal transport times to a maximum of 8 hours, requiring our own higher standards for lairage construction and design, and reducing the stocking density of broiler chickens. In certain areas we also require that our meat is produced to the RSPCA Freedom Food standards. Examples include our free-range chicken, outdoor bred pork, our free-range eggs and our standard fresh duck.

TESCO ANIMAL WELFARE POLICY

Tesco aims to be associated by its customers with high standards of animal welfare and best industry practice in its supply base. We will deliver this commitment by maintaining:

an up-to-date knowledge of animal welfare, bioethics and legislation.

and by

implementing Tesco’s Livestock Codes of Practice.

This policy, and our Livestock Codes of Practice, will be regularly reviewed in the light of emerging trends in our customers’ demands, new scientific knowledge and upon advice from Tesco’s animal welfare consultants.

Tesco is committed to devising and implementing codes of practice, which ensures that the requirements of the Tesco Animal Welfare Policy are met in all animal husbandry systems. The requirements of the independently audited national farm assurance schemes (accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65: 1996 – BSEN45011: 1998) form the foundation of the Tesco Livestock Codes of Practice and all meat/farmed fish suppliers must be members of one of these Schemes.

Tesco also has a programme of independent animal welfare auditing which is a further requirement to the independent audits of the national farm assurance schemes. This programme ensures the effective application of the Tesco Livestock Codes of Practice.

Tesco is committed to achieving an integrated supply base, which provides, where possible, whole-life traceability. The range of Tesco livestock standards may therefore be extended to include the husbandry of animals that may not directly be used to supply us, for example breeder stock.

Tesco Animal Welfare Policy endorses the “Five Freedoms” concept, proposed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC). The following table illustrates the concept of the “Five Freedoms”:

• Water and food deprivation, malnutrition
• Environmental challenge
• Disease, injury and functional impairment
• Behavioural/interactive restriction
• Mental and physical suffering