British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has commissioned the Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) to audit 40 farms which supply the retailer with liquid milk.

The move comes after welfare group Animal Equality UK obtained footage from an M&S supplier in Dorset (Grange Dairy owned by J F Cobb and Sons) which showed animals kept in calf hutches beyond eight weeks of age. Under UK law, no calf should be confined in an individual stall or pen beyond eight weeks. The issue has received widespread media attention over the last few days after the story appeared in the Daily Mail.

Response

In its initial response, M&S described what happened on the farm as “unacceptable” and a “mistake”, but said that it would work with the farm involved to rectify the issues.

Ultimately, that has led to the RSPCA being brought in to conduct audits, with the results to be published on the M&S website. The retailer will also now move to adopt RSPCA-assured standards as a minimum requirement on all 40 dairy farms, with assessments completed annually. In addition, the farms will have to continue with Red Tractor assurance and M&S will also maintain its own twice-yearly Select Farm assurance audits.

Standards

M&S director of food Andy Adcock said: “This is a significant strengthening of our animal welfare standards. We are already recognised by leading animal charities, but are always looking to improve and RSPCA assured is the best in the business. Very few farms operate to that level of animal welfare and adoption of these standards will set M&S dairy farms apart – and that’s what our customers want and expect from us.”

Since the M&S milk scheme was launched in 2000, the farmers involved have generally received some of the highest prices available in the market. For example, last April, when milk prices paid in Northern Ireland were around 18p per litre, M&S was paying their 40 farmers 30.49p per litre. The M&S price is reviewed every six months.