Swiss food labels must declare animal suffering from July | Practice Source – Legal News and Views
From July 1, food labels in Switzerland will have to disclose whether products of animal origin involve painful practices. The Swiss federal government has approved a series of ordinances requiring the labelling of meat, eggs and foie gras.
Consumers purchasing products such as meat, milk or eggs will receive clearer information about how animals were treated during production. Labels must now indicate whether any painful procedures were carried out without anesthesia or stunning, according to a government statement published on Wednesday.
Examples of such practices include castration or dehorning of cattle without anesthetic and castration, tail docking or teeth clipping for pigs without pain relief. The same applies to the cutting of frogs’ legs without anesthetic.
Foie gras declaration included
Liver and meat from force-fed geese and ducks must also be labelled accordingly. While force-feeding has been banned in Switzerland for more than 40 years, the practice is still legal in other countries. The move is part of the government’s response to a popular initiative aiming to ban foie gras imports, which the Swiss government does not support.
The labelling obligation applies to all establishments offering such products – including restaurants, small businesses, and retail outlets. Under self-monitoring rules, these businesses must determine whether their goods fall under the declaration requirement.
By mandating these disclosures, the Swiss government says it is “increasing transparency for consumers, enabling them to make informed purchases.” A two-year transition period has been granted to implement the changes.
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