How important is the welfare of farm animals to consumers? Are individuals willing to pay a premium for higher welfare products? What impact does a brand’s or company’s commitment to social responsibility have on purchasing preferences?

Below is a compilation of survey data providing important insight into the way Americans view farm animals.

Farm Animals and Their Welfare

  • 97% agree that animals deserve at least some protection from harm and exploitation, while only 3% say animals don’t need protection “since they are just animals” (1)
  • 95% say that how farm animals are cared for is important to them (2)
  • 85% of Ohioans agree or strongly agree that the quality of life for farm animals is important (3)
  • 81% believe animals and humans have the same ability to feel pain (2)
  • 81% of Ohioans agree or strongly agree that the well-being of farm animals is just as important as the well-being of pets (3)
  • 69% of Ohioans disagree or strongly disagree with the statement: “It is of no concern to me whether farm animals feel emotional pain” (3)

Ethical, Sustainable Food

  • 91% believe that, in order to qualify as an “ethical food,” animals should be treated humanely (4)
  • 76% say the well-being of farm animals is more important than low meat prices (2)
  • 49% say they consider the well-being of farm animals when making meat-purchasing decisions (2)

Willingness to Pay

  • 57% say they are willing to pay 1-10% more for “food that promises to be produced to higher ethical standards” and 12% are willing to pay more than 10% more (4)
  • 60% say they are willing pay up to 10% more for “food that is healthier, safer or produced to higher ethical standards,” 12% are willing to pay 11-20% more, and 2% are willing to pay more than 21% more (5)
  • 59% of Ohioans say they would be willing to pay more for meat or dairy labeled as coming from humanely treated animals, with 43% willing to pay 10% more and more than 12% willing to pay 25% more (3)
  • 31% say they are willing to pay 5% more for animal products labeled as “humanely raised,” while 23% would pay 10% more, and 11% would pay 20% more (6)

Brand and Company Loyalty

  • 55% say they are more likely to recommend ethically produced food brands and products (4)
  • 44% say they have stopped buying a brand because they learned the company producing it was acting in a socially irresponsible or unethical way (4)
  • 42% are more loyal to ethically produced food brands than to other brands (4)
  • 73% of women and 65% of men “have more confidence in food sold in grocery stores that actively support ethical and sustainable farming practices” (4)
  • 70% say that whether a company or brand acts ethically has a bearing on their decision to buy its products (5)
  • 43% say they have purchased a brand that was new to them primarily because the company producing it was seen to embrace socially responsible practices (5)
  • 89% believe that “food companies that require farmers to treat their animals better are doing the right thing” (2)
  • 78% believe that “animals raised under higher standards of care will produce safer and better tasting meat” (2)
  • 50% of consumers believe animal care is important “when deciding which food to buy, brand preference and which grocery stores to shop” (7)

* Unless otherwise noted, results are findings of nationwide polling.

  1. Gallup Poll conducted May 8-11, 2008
  2. “Consumer Preferences for Farm Animal Welfare: Results of a Nationwide Telephone Survey,” prepared by Jayson Lusk, F. Bailey Norwood, and Robert Prickett, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University, and conducted June to July 2007
  3. “Ohioans’ Attitudes About Animal Welfare: A Topical Report from the 2004 Ohio Survey of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Issues,” prepared by Andrew Rauch and Jeff S. Sharp, Department of Human and Community Resource Development, Ohio State University, released in January 2005
  4. Context Marketing’s “Ethical Food” report, released March 2010
  5. Context Marketing’s “Beyond Organic” report, released October 2009
  6. “Consumers Attitudes About Animal Welfare: 2004 National Public Opinion Survey,” released by Market Directions and sponsored by Animal Agriculture Alliance and the National Corn Growers Association, dated April 5, 2004
  7. American Meat Institute’s “Laying Out the Facts,” prepared in 2004