What is more important to you - cheap food or high welfare standards?

[Scrowy]

There has been news coverage today that the US has said that to enable trade relations the UK may have to consider lowering some food standards (chlorinated chicken, growth hormones etc).

As a beef and sheep farmer I'm genuinely interested to know if the British public really cares about animal welfare standards or if the reality is that money is tight and as long as it's meat people aren't actually too choosy about it's origins if the price is right?

Please don't pander to me, please be honest. If the truth is that you would like to think you would choose high welfare but when it comes down to it at the supermarket shelf you choose the cheaper option... just say.

In all honestly I buy the cheap stuff which fits my budget. I don't buy higher welfare but to ease my conscience I've cut down on meat consumption. We only eat meat in a few meals, in the past 12months I've made a lot of effort to introduce more vegetarian meals. If I could afford higher welfare I really would go for it.

Animal welfare.
I think most (all?) people would prefer to buy that than cheaper alternatives if money were no issue. But in many cases, people are living on a very tight budget to feed their families.
I’m often scoffed at when I reveal how much our food budget is a week but we do buy high welfare where possible.

I would be very unhappy if standards are lowered - health is so important. But I can see that the cost pressures may make this a dilemma for many people, particularly whenif the economy tanks post brexit.

I don’t cutrently choose the cheapest meat. I care about standards. But it has to be affordable within hour grocery budget and I don’t think we’d go veggie if “high standard” meat became too expensive.

Welfare standards. But...we're well off, so have that luxury.

I buy the best I can afford but it's more about quality of meat (which in my mind is linked to welfare). But I assume cheap meat is poor welfare but what would put me off is the amount of crap in it.

High welfare standards. We're not poor now but have been before, and just ate mostly vegetarian food instead.
However in answering this I've realised that on dairy products like butter I tend to instinctively go on price, so am probably a bit hypocritical right now

In our house we buy one whole chicken once a month. It costs 15 quid because it's organic, slow grow, free range, etc. For us welfare and quality is really important.

My fear with American standards is more around antibiotic use and that increasing antibiotic resistance.

High welfare. We only use a certain local butcher's that rear their own high welfare meat (except for chickens but they still source local/high welfare)

We make cuts in the food bill elsewhere if need be but it's non negotiable for me, regarding meat. Also only have organic diary and eggs at home. We don't eat out or have take away often so we can justify the slightly extra cost. Also, I don't want to eat cheap meat full of excess water/chlorine/growth hormones etc so like hell am I going to feed it to my young children. Bleugh!

Welfare. A million times over.

I can eat cheap food without eating shit quality/poor welfare meat full of unknown amounts of chemicals.

With very rare exceptions, I only eat organic meat, locally produced. I 'd rather not eat meat otherwise.

I'm on a tight budget so I'm tempted by cheaper but try to buy less meat but higher welfare.

I welcome any legislation to increase welfare. We definitely don't want a race to the bottom which just reduces choice imo.

Depends how much money you have I guess? And how much you are prepared to personally sacrifice for ethics?

Welfare for me, massively.

However I’m not so ethical as to deny myself meat all the time which would undoubtedly be better. Also I eat meat eg in the work canteen which can’t exactly be high welfare.

Cheap food. People in England are poor.

Welfare, and British for us. We use a local butcher, whose meat comes from a farm round the corner from where we live and the abattoir is just round another corner. It's more expensive than the supermarket but tastes so much better, hasn't travelled far and it supports small businesses. The odd occasions we've had to get meat from the supermarket we've regretted that decision and wished we'd had no meat at all. Plus, we buy the quantity we need exactly and the service from our butcher is second to none.

Welfare and British/ local where possible. We don’t tend to eat much meat at the moment due to £££ but still feel welfare is more important.

Welfare. We buy free range, and organic where possible. I am horrified at the thought of American food standards becoming the norm here.

Cheap food. We cannot afford to buy free range/organic etc. Tend to buy Supermarket saver.

Welfare BUT we can afford it. If I had to feed my family and couldn't afford it then I would reluctantly have a different opinion.

Absolutely welfare but I’ve got a pretty big budget.

Welfare first, British second, won't touch anything that comes from the states

Cheap food.
I don't really believe the so called welfare standards anyway.

High welfare, but often buy cheap cuts & offal to offset the cost.

Welfare. I would rather go without than eat poor quality meat from animals that have had a miserable life.

I’m not veggie but I eat mostly veggie food - meat is a treat. We need to get away from the mindset that every meal should contain meat, regardless of the environmental or welfare cost. I’ve been on the bones of my arse but still wouldn’t buy crap meat.

However, I am lucky to have access to a brilliant butcher with high welfare standards so can shop according to budget. There are plenty of cheap, tasty cuts but they often aren’t available in supermarkets.

Good quality / good tasting meat.

I don't mind paying extra if it actually tastes better.

I'm not that concerned about the welfare standards in a 'la la la can't hear you' sort of way

Cheap food