88% want end to live exports survey

03 December 1998

88% want end to live exports — survey

By FWi staff

MORE than three-quarters of the public want an end to live exports, according to the results of a survey released yesterday (Tuesday).

The opinion poll, conducted by NOP for Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), found that 88% of those questioned wanted animals to be slaughtered in the UK before being exported as meat.

“We are delighted with this result,” said Peter Stevenson, CIWFs political and legal director.”

The news comes as live exporter Farmers Ferry announced that it expects to have shipped abroad 500,000 sheep in the last five months of this year.

Company secretary David Owen said the farmer-backed export company must be allowed to succeed to offer sheep producers an alternative to selling to supermarkets.

“With the creation of strong brand names and the exclusion of competition, the supermarkets control both the supply and demand side of the retail equation to the … detriment of producers,” he said.