The Co-operative Food

In 2018, Co-op moved all their fresh pork supply, gammon and bacon to 100% British outdoor-bred from RSPCA assured farms, and received a Good Pig Award in recognition of this important move to higher welfare pig production across all Co-op own brand products.

Since this commitment, however, Co-op has launched a new Honest Value line (Nov 2020), with the bacon and ham in this range being temporarily produced to standard indoor British Red Tractor standards. They aim to transition this product line over to their higher welfare outdoor bred standards by 2023 or earlier.

In 2012, Co-op, along with their supplier 2 Sisters Food Group, decided to increase the density at which their broiler chickens were stocked, from 30kg/m2 (15 birds/m2) to 34kg/m2 (17 birds/m2). As they no longer met our award criteria, Compassion was obliged to withdraw their Good Chicken Award.

In 2008, Co-op received a Good Egg Award for both their shell-eggs and eggs used in their own-brand products. The Co-op is currently the largest UK retailer selling and using only free-range eggs. Their commitment to ensuring pasture access and good health and welfare for dairy cows and to rearing dairy calves in higher welfare systems earned them a Good Dairy Award in 2011.