Do pictures speak differently than labels? Implications for visual communication in animal welfare labelling using insights of a consumer study in Germany

In response to growing consumer interest in meat produced using more species-appropriate husbandry methods, food retailers in Germany have introduced a multi-level animal welfare label. This allows existing animal welfare certifications to be categorised into one of four levels. However, the market share of the higher levels has so far been rather low, possibly due to the poor comprehensibility and credibility of many animal welfare labels. Initial studies show that consumers want more information about animal welfare labels, preferably as pictures. Nevertheless, no studies have yet investigated whether pictures representing the respective farming systems influence purchasing decisions, or how different photos affect the choice of the same label level. Our survey of 1079 German meat consumers revealed that some respondents changed their hypothetical purchase decision for pork when shown pictures of husbandry systems, predominantly in favour of higher-welfare farming systems (20%–26%). To test the effect of different pictures, respondents were randomised into one of four experimental groups in which the pictures for label levels 3 and 4 differed (between-subjects split-sampling design). Our results show that the selection of photos depicting various types of housing significantly influenced the respondents’ decisions. The most positive effect was achieved by pictures displaying pigs standing on straw (level 3), whereas pictures showing outdoor access had a less positive influence (level 4). This study is the first to demonstrate, utilising an experimental approach, the opportunities and challenges of using pictures for animal welfare communication, providing valuable contributions to the debate on improving label content.