• M&S - Winner (Supermarkets) – Achieving higher standards for animal welfare
  
• Samphire - Winner (Small food retailers) – Achieving higher standards for animal welfare
  
• Abel and Cole – Highly Commended (Small food retailers) – Commitment to improving animal welfare
  
• The Owl and the Pussycat – Winner (Restaurants) – Achieving higher standards for animal welfare.
  

Food consultant Dr Geoff Spriegel said: “M&S impressed for a number of reasons – firstly its policies cover the entire range and not just a special tier, with a company-wide approach to animal welfare linked by the ‘look behind the label’ initiative.

“M&S invests in research to identify the best welfare option based on scientific understanding, and has set up an electronic monitoring process to benchmark performance of their farmers worldwide.”

Dr Spriegel continued: “M&S also has a commitment to communicate with farmers and its own staff, plus innovative advertising that communicates its commitment to animal welfare to customers.”

In the small retailer section, Samphire and Abel and Cole were singled out for praise. Journalist Richard Johnson said: ”Norfolk’s Samphire shop includes animal welfare at the heart of its business strategy. All suppliers, some of whom are RSPCA Freedom Food accredited, are visited regularly to see how animals are reared, and the promotion of good animal welfare practice to customers is paramount.

“Abel and Cole, meanwhile, is fully organic and implements its own policies to further protect the welfare of the animals on the farms it uses,” said Richard Johnson. “It doesn’t import meat, eggs or dairy products, and has a good communications programme to promote its welfare stance.”

The Owl and the Pussycat, which last year was highly commended in the restaurant category, has taken home the winning award in 2006 for its higher standards of animal welfare.

Richard Johnson said: “Not only do the staff at the Owl and the Pussycat know where their produce is sourced, but they also provide clear information for their customers too. The origin of the meat is listed on the menus, some of their fish is line caught, and none of the products used are derived from caged hens.

“An added bonus is that the Owl and the Pussycat provide training for their chefs on buying higher welfare food, which is a great initiative.”

The RSPCA launched the Good Business Awards last year to encourage companies to adopt welfare-friendly policies to reflect the wishes of their consumers and in turn reap financial and moral benefits.

RSPCA Director General Jackie Ballard said: “M&S, Samphire and the Owl and the Pussycat all deserve every credit for their success in providing customers with food derived from animals reared to higher welfare standards.  Abel and Cole should also be proud of its achievements.

“We hope their shining example will also spur on others to adopt better animal welfare practice in line with their customers’ wishes. With ethical consumerism now worth a staggering £25.8 billion a year2, the attractions of principled trading can no longer be ignored.”

Winners from the other categories of the RSPCA Good Business Awards 2006 include: Lush and Essential Care (cosmetics) and M&S (fashion).

For more information visit www.rspca.org.uk

For more information on the awards visit www.rspcagoodbusinessawards.com