The Supply Chain's Role in Improving Animal Welfare

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Economics
• Animal Welfare Science
• Supply Chain Management

Background:

• Growing societal demand for improved farm animal welfare is influencing supply chains through product differentiation and market segmentation.
• Existing literature highlights a discrepancy between citizens' expressed support for animal welfare and their actual purchasing behavior, termed the citizen-consumer gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To economically analyze the delivery of enhanced farm animal welfare standards within European Union (EU) supply chains.
• To investigate the capacity and willingness of supply chains to meet consumer demands for animal welfare.
• To illustrate the potential impacts of improved animal welfare standards on supply chains.

Main Methods:

• Economic analysis of supply chain delivery for farm animal welfare in the EU.
• Prototype belief network analysis to model the consequences of enhancing animal welfare standards.

Main Results:

• Supply chain adaptation to animal welfare demands depends on innovation capacity and consumer purchasing of animal-friendly products.
• The citizen-consumer gap poses challenges for supply chains aiming to deliver higher animal welfare standards.
• Belief network analysis provides insights into the potential consequences of implementing improved animal welfare standards.

Conclusions:

• The effective delivery of improved farm animal welfare in EU supply chains is contingent upon both supply-side adaptability and consumer willingness to pay.
• Addressing the citizen-consumer gap is crucial for aligning market dynamics with societal expectations for animal welfare.
• Further research using economic modeling is needed to fully understand and navigate the complexities of implementing enhanced animal welfare standards.