PETA animal welfare group praises Katjes Fassin for supporting latest ethical standards campaign
The Katjes stand at ISM in Cologne. Pic: Katjes
German confectionery group Katjes Fassin—a popular purveyor of plant-powered gummy candies has gained recognition from PETA (People for the Ethical treatment of animals) for signing on to a groundbreaking new “Eat Without Experiments” programme helping consumers identify products created responsibly, writes Neill Barston.
As Confectionery Production has previously reported, research has found that shoppers have increasing stated a high degree of preference for confectionery, sweets and snacks that are mindful of the environment and are linked to high production standards that respect animal welfare.
Consequently, the Eat Without Experiments website features a database of food and beverage companies categorised by their policies on animal experimentation—from those that test on animals to those, like Katjes Fassin, that have signed PETA’s pledge for no animal testing unless explicitly required by law.
“Katjes Fassin’s statement of assurance will give it a leg up with caring consumers who want to support transparent, eco-friendly, and animal-friendly businesses,” says PETA Vice President Shalin Gala, who added that the organisation is calling on Mondelez International in particular to end what it claims is an association with animal testing on some of its product ranges.
However, the major manufacturer has stated in its own policy guidelines that responsible sourcing remains a priority, including farm sourced ingredients. Its company statement on animal welfare reads: “We expect suppliers of ingredients that come from farm animals to be aware and comply with all applicable national laws on animal welfare and, where legislation does not exist, the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Regulations typically relate to diet, availability of water, accommodation, prevention/diagnosis of disease, sufficient space for normal behaviour, facilities, companionship, conditions which prevent mental and physical suffering, and in the case of severe illness providing appropriate medical attention (preferably from a veterinarian).
“In addition, we require suppliers to engage in continuous improvement to promote better standards in quality, safety and animal welfare respecting the Five Freedoms and to support national standards and assurance schemes. Through our Procurement function, we embed requirements into our procurement process and track progress annually against the key performance indicators specified in our dairy and egg principles.
“Animal welfare is part of our corporate strategy to Protect the Well-being of People and Planet We have a global Well-being Leadership Team that has oversight from our Chief Growth Officer and is co-chaired by our Chief R&D & Nutrition Officer, and Vice President of Global Well-being & Sustainability. We take a comprehensive approach to well-being, integrating it throughout our business, and we engage with suppliers, farmers, industry associations, governments, international organizations, NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders.”
According to PETA, recent research shows that 74 percent of consumers want greater transparency regarding companies’ stances on important issues such as animal testing. A lack of consumer trust can negatively affect competitiveness and potential revenues by billions. Companies that sign PETA’s pro-animal pledge forward their brands in the minds of a new wave of ethics-conscious consumers.
