The latest Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report has just been published, revealing global companies’ progress on animal welfare policies, practices and performance. Tracking 149 international food businesses, the report highlights strong commitments to higher animal welfare standards, with UK companies leading the way.

Global commitments show mixed results

The BBFAW  report, supported by Compassion in World Farming and FOUR PAWS, has been tracking companies’ annual progress since 2012. While it shows strong commitments across the industry, the overall pace of implementation remains slow. Overall average scores in 2025 have remained at 18% for a second year, rising from 16% in 2022.

Greggs and Waitrose among front-runners

UK companies Greggs, Premier Foods, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose stand out as top performers, positioned firmly in ‘Tier 2’ of the benchmark.

Meanwhile, eight companies globally moved up a tier in the ranking, reflecting meaningful improvements in their policies and practices, including Amazon/Whole Foods Market, Asda (Bellis Topco Ltd) and Hilton Food Group.

driving forward protein diversification

Some companies are beginning to make meaningful progress in reducing their reliance on animal‑sourced foods. UK companies stood out this year, achieving an average score of 28% for their protein‑transition efforts—nearly three times the global average of 10%.

Three UK companies (Hilton Food Group, Waitrose and Greggs PLC) ranked highest for producing protein transition products and policies as a pathway to mitigate welfare, environmental and climate risk.

Targets to improve lives of pigs and hens

Of the 139 companies with eggs in their supply chains, 69% (96 companies) have set targets to eliminate cages for laying hens, and 71% are reporting progress toward achieving them, up from 67% in 2024.

This year, 13% of companies with pigs in their supply chains (17 of 136 companies) have committed to phasing out farrowing crates.

More to be done

While corporate ambitions on issues such as adopting cage-free eggs are strong, the BBFAW highlights a persistent gap between commitments and meaningful implementation.

Furthermore, overall progress on animal welfare improvements remains slow. For the second year running, almost 90% of companies (135 companies) received the lowest Impact Ratings of ‘E’ or ‘F’, indicating limited or no evidence of higher-welfare commitments being implemented in practice. No company has yet achieved the Benchmark’s top ‘A’ rating.

Reinforcing just how central animal welfare has become to responsible business practice, our Global CEO Philip Lymbery said:

Phasing out cages is a vital first step toward transforming our food system, and companies with cage-free commitments now have a real opportunity to turn those promises into meaningful progress — progress that will deliver better lives for millions of animals.

Industrial agriculture has pushed natural systems to their limits, but by moving away from factory farming, companies can help restore soils, protect water, reduce antibiotic use, cut emissions, and support biodiversity.

The wellbeing of animals, people, and the planet is deeply interconnected, and a One Health approach recognises that improving animal welfare strengthens the foundations of our shared future. It’s a strategic investment in long-term sustainability, and when companies act for animals, they help safeguard the future for us all.

Report ranks food companies on welfare: UK leads