Waitrose has rolled out higher animal welfare standards for all its suppliers of Italian meat.

The supermarket said the move means its Parma ham, Mortadella and Prosciutto have come from animals that live a life free from confinement in Italy.

The retailer said the pigs have more room to roam and socialise, and have deep straw bedding to root around in.

It comes as welfare standards for continental meat have tended to lag behind those of British meats.

Waitrose attributes its long term partnership with supplier The Compleat Food Group as the reason they were the first Italian meat producer to win a Good Pig Award from Compassion in World Farming in 2016.

The supermarket said it has now rolled out the same high standards across all of its Italian producers.

Waitrose has also pledged to improve welfare standards within their entire continental meat supply chain by 2025 by removing all confinement, including prohibiting sow stalls and farrowing crates.

 

The supermarket said it now encourages other retailers to follow their lead to ensure Britons can buy ethically sourced charcuterie.

Jake Pickering, senior manager for agriculture at Waitrose, said the supermarket is “delighted this move helps us raise the bar even further”.

“We are confinement-free in UK farming, and have a 2025 commitment for all of our continental meat,” he added.

“This represents a huge step forward for the welfare standards within our Italian breeding, growing and finishing supply chains and means that well over 50% of our continental meat sales will now come from higher welfare pigs.”

Louise Valducci, head of food business for Europe at Compassion in World Farming, said: “We are encouraged by the steps Waitrose is taking to improve the welfare of pigs in its continental meat supply.

“It highlights the importance of working closely with producers, giving them the confidence and support to invest in cage-free systems, to ensure a successful transition across the business.

“Consumers are increasingly concerned about animal welfare and any company committing to cage-free production is sending a powerful signal to the market that it is not only the compassionate choice, but also achievable at scale.”