Blog
We don't test on animals
All Co-op branded cosmetics and household products, including cosmetics, toiletries and household cleaning products, are cruelty free.
Animal welfare
Our animal welfare standards build on the legal requirements for chicken, pork, turkey, beef, lamb, dairy and aquaculture.
Our farmers care for their animals by following the 5 Domains welfare code:
- Nutrition: Providing adequate food and water to support health.
- Environment: Ensuring animals have safe, clean, and enriching living spaces.
- Health: Addressing medical needs and promoting overall wellness.
- Behavioural Interactions: Offering opportunities for positive social interactions and mental stimulation.
- Mental State: Reducing stress and promoting emotional well-being.
We support animal welfare through schemes such as Red Tractor, RSPCA Assured and our own-brand animal welfare standards. In fact, all our own-brand meat, poultry and British dairy products sold under the Co-op brand are produced from farms that are accredited to a national farm assurance scheme, such as Red Tractor, which ensures high standards of animal welfare.
These schemes cover aspects such as the housing of animals and stocking densities, feed and water, health and veterinary controls, breeding, traceability and transportation.
We are continually looking at how we can improve welfare, which is why we moved to 100% free range eggs in 2008, outdoor bred RSPCA Assured pork in 2018. Space To Thrive chicken in 2024 and transitioned away from the use of sow stalls and farrowing crates in our farms in our continental meat supply chain in 2025.
Our aquaculture standards are designed to support good welfare outcomes for farmed aquatic animals. This includes prohibiting eyestalk ablation in farmed prawns, and we are working with suppliers and industry partners to support the adoption of electrical stunning prior to slaughter. We work with recognised certification programmes, including Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), to support responsible seafood production and continuous improvement across our supply chains.
Looking out for animals. We believe in the highest standards of animal welfare and simply don't do animal testing.
Read our Co-op Animal Welfare Standards and Performance to find out more about our commitment to creating products that have been produced to good animal welfare standards, regardless of their budget.