A new RSPCA report claims to reveal a worrying lack of improvement in animal welfare over the past 12 months.

Dr Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA’s Farm Animals Department said: “This report aims year-on year to measure progress or otherwise, and this year it’s disappointing as there has been a general failure to resolve the welfare issues we have highlighted.” 

The ground breaking study mentions a large increase in meat chickens reared to higher welfare standards as one of the few positive changes.

Statistics also revealed that 58% of consumers think supermarkets should stop selling eggs laid by birds in cages and that one in three eggs produced in the UK are from cage free systems.

Also mentioned were Freedom Foods who now have an impressive 40m broiler chickens reared under the label, compared to 28m last year.

Dr Wrathall added: “The huge growth in numbers of chickens now reared to higher welfare standards shows what can be achieved when the farming industry, the food industry and consumers move together in the same direction and take collective responsibility to drive improvements.”