Morrisons is the first supermarket to promise installation of CCTV cameras in all its abattoirs to reassure the public of good welfare practice at slaughter.

Positive steps

Compassion in World Farming fully supports Morrisons for pledging to install CCTV cameras in all its abattoirs by the end of December 2010.

We encourage other supermarkets to follow Morrisons' lead and set up CCTV cameras in their abattoirs to improve the conditions for farm animals.

Mia Fernyhough, Compassion's UK Food Business Manager said:

"Compassion in World Farming is delighted that Morrisons will install CCTV in its abattoirs to ensure that welfare rules at slaughter are properly enforced. Morrisons won Most Improved Supermarket in our 2010 Supermarket Awards and this latest move demonstrates further its commitment to farm animal welfare."

As humanely as possible

Compassion in World Farming believes that slaughter methods that entirely meet one of the below sets of criteria should be permitted.

The slaughter method kills the animal instantly (e.g. with some electric stun-kill methods)
The animal is rendered instantly insensible to pain before slaughter and remains entirely unconscious until death
The slaughter method is non-aversive and does not cause pain or distress (e.g. with some inert gas killing methods)

EU law requirements

Currently, EU law states that:

'Animals shall be spared any avoidable excitement, pain or suffering during movement, lairaging, restraint, stunning, slaughter or killing' and sets out permitted methods of slaughter. Animals have to be stunned before slaughter and remain unconscious until they are dead, or be killed instantaneously.'

Still a way to go

Congratulations to Morrisons for taking such a positive step towards ensuring transparency in its abattoirs.

However, enforcement of humane slaughter law is not effective in all countries and some countries still do not have any laws to protect animals at slaughter.

The best abattoirs can provide a high standard of welfare. However, billions of animals each year are at risk of suffering if slaughter is not carried out humanely and according to standards of best practice. Animals can suffer at slaughter as a result of unskilled personnel or inadequate buildings and equipment. In addition, scientific evidence shows that some commonly accepted and legal practices are in fact inhumane.

We believe that farm animals should not and need not suffer.

If you agree, please support us today. Your donation could help end all forms of farm animal cruelty and help us stop factory farming in its tracks. We receive no government funding so rely entirely on the generosity of our supporters to prevent cruelty to farm animals all over the world.

Donate now >>

CCTV in all Morrisons abattoirs