Shoppers will soon be able to check food labels to discover whether animals have been treated humanely in the production of meat and dairy items.
David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, wants Britain to take the lead in putting animal-welfare labels on food packaging. He also wants “kindness” logos to go on European meat and dairy products and on items imported from outside Europe.
One system under scrutiny is a gold, silver or bronze coronet to appear on labels. Gold would signify the highest animal welfare standards, while bronze would imply that the farm complied with basic requirements.
Anyone flouting the welfare rules, or labelling foods falsely, would face prosecution by trading standards officers.
Many egg boxes include details of production on labels but Mr Miliband wants this to be a legal requirement for a range of produce.
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The RSPCA supports mandatory labelling of high welfare standards through its Freedom Food scheme. The charity said it hoped that a compulsory regime would be agreed in Brussels and that supermarkets would respond to consumer demand for higher welfare standards.