The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) has raised concerns among animal welfare activists, who claim that this trade deal could lead to the import of products made to lower animal welfare standards than those accepted in the UK. The RSPCA’s head of public affairs, David Bowles, expressed apprehension, stating that “the UK joining this Trans-Pacific trade bloc is another potential nail in the coffin for animal welfare standards back home.” He emphasized that certain CPTPP countries employ production methods that are prohibited in the UK, including sow stalls and battery cages for laying hens. Furthermore, the RSPCA has pointed out that the trade bloc’s formal conditions have no direct references to animal welfare standards.
Bowles noted the irony that the UK has more stringent legal animal welfare standards than virtually every other member country of the CPTPP but negotiated a deal that will allow the import of 55,000 tons of pig meat produced under standards illegal in the UK. In addition, the agreement would allow a never-ending amount of egg products created in battery hens’ cages, a system that has been illegal in the UK since 2012. Bowles concluded that “unless iron-clad safeguards on standards are produced, this deal is a huge concern.” He urged the UK Government to take action to prevent such products from being sold in supermarkets, in line with its commitment to protecting the nation’s high standards of animal welfare.
In summary, the CPTPP could have serious repercussions on animal welfare in the UK, and it is imperative that the UK Government take necessary steps to ensure that import of such products do not enter the country.
