The main supermarkets in Great Britain take actions to enhance social welfare standards for crabs and lobsters
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 – in a breakthrough move, the main supermarkets in Great Britain, corresponding to Marx & Spencer, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, announced that they may not support outdated and cruel methods of killing crab and lobsters. This decision will take place after increasing the pressure on the part of the organization of animal welfare, compassion of crustaceans and the growing social concern about the welfare of these feeling beings.
The Snapshot 2024 report published today by Crustacean Compassion reveals a mixed response of retail sellers and seafood. While some introduced a big improvement of their policies and social care processes, others did not prohibit cruel practices, corresponding to cooking living animals, tearing them out and freezing them during consciousness.
According to Dr. Ben Ben Sturgeon, general director of Crustacean Compassion: “There has been some progress in social care policy and organization processes since our first report in 2022. We saw how some companies really develop, and for the first time processors with seafood are ahead of retail in their general results. The best companies prove that cruelty is out of date – but too much still looks the other way. Crabs, lobsters and shrimp feel pain, but they are still cooked live, mutilated and stored in cruel conditions. The message is clear: companies must adapt or lose consumer trust. “
The last Yougova (2025) polls show strong society’s support for increased protection of decapode shells, with 71% supporting the obligation to look after the owners, 75% supporting the methods of humanitarian slaughter and 70% supporting regulated standards of transport and slaughter.
The report also emphasizes that the leading supermarkets, corresponding to Marx & Spencer, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, are making real progress, introducing higher prosperity policies and demand on humanitarian staggering before the slaughter for not less than some parts of their supply chain.
Dr. Sturgeon adds: “There are several shiny examples, Marx & Spencer and Young’s Seafood seafood processors have shown that with adequate pressure, leadership and comments there may be great progress. But many others have and disappointing to see that some food producers and supermarkets do “no” or very little progress when others clearly show that improvement is possible. Especially in relation to bad practices in capturing and storage, as well as mutilation of living animals. I suspect that most people think that these practices are already forbidden, and after hearing this report, people would expect that all supermarkets and food producers withdraw them as quickly as possible. “
However, some supermarkets, corresponding to Aldi, Amazon, ASDA and Iceland, were identified as amongst the worst performers, without acting on social problems.
Dr. Sturgeon also states: “Consumers expect humanitarian treatment of all animals in the food chain. Companies refuse to improve the risk of loss of public trust, and ultimately their places in shopping baskets. According to our last survey (Apino 2024), 87.1% of respondents believe that supermarkets should be responsible for maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare for all feeling animals. “
Marx & Spencer leads the way in terms of the well -being of the decapode
Marx & Spencer still establishes the standard in terms of well -being of Decapod, showing consistent improvements since the initiative starts in 2022 under the leadership of Aquaculture & Fisheries Manager Linda Wood, the company is widely known as a proactive approach to higher prosperity practices in seafood.
Linda Wood says: “We have the highest standards of animal welfare in the industry and for us to ensure these standards, and some of the exceptional quality, which distinguishes M&S. This year, we have seen amazing cooperation with many partners, finding new innovations to improve social care standards for all decapode and cultivated crustaceans for M&S. The commitment we had from our supply chain in a relatively short time is really encouraging. We have achieved a lot, but there is a lot more to do and we require further cooperation of the entire industry to succeed. “
Crustacean compassion requires obligations in the entire industry
The compassion of crustaceans calls for urgent obligations in the field of industry in the field of prohibiting barbaric practices, corresponding to live cooking, live publishing and pruning claws, provides humanitarian stunning to stop prolonged deaths, increase transparency by reporting social care policies, and stop selling live crabs and lobkers.
Dr. Sturgeon sums up: “The shutter report shows that there shall be a positive change – however it isn’t fast enough. Some corporations prove that higher prosperity standards are possible – so there aren’t any excuses for many who still don’t work. The seafood industry must evolve and leave cruelty. We are comfortable to support corporations that may help them introduce improvements and work with many in the report. Our challenge for the food industry is to make more to create a greater SEA history is plate for lobsters, Cr
