Plans to overhaul government procurement must recognise higher-welfare produce as a key driver of innovation, the RSPCA has said following the Chancellor's Budget announcement.

During Wednesday's budget (28 October), Chancellor John Healey said the UK Government will harness public procurement to support UK innovation.

But the RSPCA has said that this must include support for higher welfare food standards, which could improve the lives of over a billion farmed animals every single year.

Public procurement includes food bought for schools, hospitals and government buildings.

David Bowles, Head of Public Affairs at the RSPCA, said: "A complete overhaul of public food buying standards is long overdue. This was previously mentioned in the UK Government's animal welfare strategy launched 10 months ago, and must now be a priority for any review of public procurement.

"It's simply not right that schoolchildren or hospital patients are being served food produced to lower welfare standards, with zero choice in what's on their plate.

"So public bodies across the UK must lead by example. The Chancellor spoke of using procurement to support innovation; and there's nothing more innovative than higher welfare, scientifically-backed standards that improve the lives of billions of animals, and offers reassurance to millions of people.

"The UK Government must use its huge buying power to reward farmers prioritising higher welfare, and ensure public money supports the better standards that this animal-loving nation would expect to see. A good first step should be to update the government's food buying standards to include animal welfare."

RSPCA Assured is the RSPCA's ethical food label and farmed animal welfare assurance scheme - offering consumers the option to buy higher welfare produce from animals who have lived better lives. 

The scheme includes expert assessors who ensure the RSPCA's strict animal welfare standards are implemented on certified farms.

More than one quarter (28%) of UK farmed animals, including salmon, were covered by the RSPCA Assured scheme in 2025. 

But it is feared that - in the absence of support - governments are instead leaving agricultural communities to meet costs associated with higher welfare farming alone, with voluntary schemes and welfare charities, like RSPCA Assured - expected to fill the support gap with goodwill. Procurement could help "plug the gap".

David added: "Investing in higher welfare not only backs innovation, but supports an industry making the lives of countless sentient animals better. It's time the Government plug the gap, and back farmers who are doing the right thing, by putting animal welfare front and centre of its future procurement plans."

More information on the RSPCA's work for farmed animal welfare can be found on its website.