Opinion Surveys on Food & Farming Systems

Those under 30 years of age versus those over 30 years of age are more likely to indicate that they are:

• Concerned about the welfare of animals raised for food (78.4% vs. 66.7%)
• Concerned about the impact of factory farms on farmers’ livelihoods (85.8% vs. 78.3%)
• Aware that most meat, eggs and dairy products found in stores come from factory farms (20.9% vs. 11.0%)
• Seeking out higher-welfare animal products or plant-based products (82.0% vs. 64.0%)
• Likely to switch supermarkets if not offered more humane alternatives to factory farmed food (71.6% vs. 62.5%)
• Likely to choose meat, egg or dairy brands with welfare certifications that are recognized by the ASPCA over a brand that they are accustomed to buying (92.4% vs. 85.2%)

• Two-thirds of respondents (67%) reported eating turkey last Thanksgiving, and 33% did not. 
• When selecting a turkey, nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents said it is important to them that the bird was protected from suffering, and over half (56%) of respondents said that it is important to them that the turkey was pasture-raised.  
• Less than one-third (28%) of respondents reported being certain that the turkey they ate last Thanksgiving came from a farm where the birds had access to the outdoors, and about half (47%) reported being uncertain.  

Survey results demonstrate that the majority of Americans are looking for more information on animal welfare in stores and are seeking out more humane products when shopping. The survey was conducted by Ipsos, the world’s third-largest global market research company.

These survey data informed much of the inaugural ASPCA Supermarket Scorecard, which evaluates the 20 largest grocery store chains in the U.S. on their policies and reported progress on addressing critical animal welfare issues for chickens raised for meat, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs. See the full findings of the survey [PDF]!

Survey results demonstrate that most Americans are motivated to find pet food brands with more humane sourcing standards and are willing to spend more to ensure more compassionate practices.

• Nearly nine out of 10 shoppers (87%) who buy pet food reported being likely to switch to another brand of pet food if they knew the brand put more care into where animal-derived ingredients were sourced.
• Of respondents who seek out higher-welfare animal products when they shop for meat, eggs and/or dairy for themselves or their families, 92% said that they would be likely to switch to another brand of pet food if they knew more care went into sourcing the ingredients.
• Most Americans (82%) who purchase pet food are willing to pay up to 10% more, and more than half (52%) are willing to pay 15% more to ensure the animals raised for that pet food are treated better.

Survey results demonstrate that the majority of Americans are concerned about industrial animal agriculture’s impact on animal welfare, environment, public health and/or farmers’ wellbeing. The majority of respondents were also supportive of government intervention to improve animal welfare, regulate industrial animal agriculture, or help transition farmers to more humane practices. Conversely, most respondents did not support government reimbursement of corporations if they used inhumane practices, specifically for depopulating animals. 

• 79% of respondents are somewhat or very concerned about the negative impacts of industrial animal agriculture on animal welfare, second only to their concern about its impact on public and community health.
• 74% of respondents report strongly to somewhat supporting a ban on new industrial animal agriculture facilities, or CAFOs. This represents a significant increase since the last time we asked this question in 2020.
• 89% strongly to somewhat favor CAFO farmers transitioning to more humane systems of agriculture, such as raising livestock on pasture or growing vegetables, and there is almost equal support for the government funding these transitions (82%).
• There is low support for government reimbursement of animal losses during disasters (54%), and that support drops to just 38% if inhumane methods are used to depopulate animals.
• 86% favor or strongly favor adding chickens and turkeys to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act to increase their legal protections.

• About half of respondents to a recent survey conducted by the ASPCA reported that their concern over farm animal welfare motivated them to buy higher-welfare meat, eggs, and dairy.
• 44 percent of respondents to a recent survey conducted by the ASPCA reported that their concern for farm animal welfare motivated them to reduce their animal product consumption.
• 80% of (or 8 out of 10) respondents to a recent survey conducted by the ASPCA overestimated the proportion of animals raised for meat, eggs, and dairy in the US raised on pasture/outdoors, which is less than 10%. 
• Only 2 out of 10 respondents to a recent survey conducted by the ASPCA knew that over 90% of animals raised for meat, eggs, and dairy in the US are raised on factory farms.
• Pet owners were more likely to report that they are concerned about farm animal welfare than non-pet owners, and that this concern influences their decision to consume fewer animal products (about 75% of pet owners versus about 50% of non-pet owners).

• 80% of organic consumers say animal welfare is important to them when considering whether to purchase organic animal products.
• 85% of organic consumers think it is important that the federal government establish clear, uniform standards for animal welfare on organic farms.
• 84% of organic consumers think animal welfare standards for organic farming should meet or exceed standards required under third-party animal welfare certification programs, such as indoor and outdoor space requirements for all animals, necessary enrichments to carry out natural behaviors, and standards around transport and slaughter.
• 92% of organic consumers identified timelines of three years or less as acceptable timeframes for companies that are currently certified to comply with any new animal welfare standards. 75% of organic consumers believed compliance should occur within one year or less.