Tory MP McVey pushes for labels on non-stun slaughtered meat

Conservative MP Esther McVey has urged the government to require clear labels on meat from animals slaughtered without stunning.

She introduced the proposal through a Ten Minute Rule Bill in Parliament to improve consumer transparency.

McVey cited a 2021 consultation by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where almost 97 percent of respondents supported mandatory labelling of slaughter methods.

UK law usually requires animals to be stunned before slaughter to reduce suffering, with religious exemptions remaining for Kosher and some Halal meat so as to accommodate for the dietary laws of the Jewish and Muslim communities.

McVey argued those exemptions now extend beyond their original purpose and said oversupply from religious slaughter often enters the wider market.

While groups like the National Secular Society backed the proposal, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has previously expressed strong opposition to singling out religious slaughter for mandatory labelling.

They countered that if the aim is to inform consumers about animal welfare, then all meat should be labeled with how the animal was stunned, rather than specifically highlighting religious methods.