Christmas is fast approaching and many of us are beginning to plan big and busy meals with family and friends.
Hitting the supermarket during the silly season can be daunting when you’ve got an important lunch or dinner to plan. Not only do you want to find the freshest, tastiest and most affordable ingredients to feed your loved ones, you also want to find food that’s been produced by farmers that care about animal welfare.
Thankfully, Coles is making it easier than ever to shop for humane food by offering a wide variety of RSPCA Approved products perfect for your Christmas celebrations.
“Our customers have told us they’re keen to know how the products we sell are produced,” explains Coles. “Which is why we’ve continuously introduced more RSPCA Approved options.”
Over the past decade, Coles has been working with the RSPCA to offer higher welfare options to customers. Coles were early adopters of the RSPCA’s Standards for Meat Chickens and since 2014, Coles’ own brand chicken range has been sourced exclusively from RSPCA Approved farms. Coles is also the only national supermarket to offer free range pork that’s RSPCA Approved year round and RSPCA Approved free range and barn raised turkey during the Christmas period.
“We believe it is the right thing to do for the animals and for our customers,” says Coles. “Animals in these farming systems are housed in an environment that meets their physical and behavioural needs.”
At Christmas time, Coles caters to shoppers looking to source higher welfare products by offering a range of seasonal options including Coles Finest Leg Hams, Coles Finest Maple Glazed Loin Hams and Coles Finest Free Range Turkeys. Only available at this time of the year, these products are perfect for people that care about where their food comes from.
Coles sources its Finest Free Range Turkey products from RSPCA Approved farms in NSW’s Hunter Valley, where the birds have space to move, access to the outdoors and enjoy perches, straw and various toys to keep them entertained when inside the barn.
Meanwhile, all of Coles’ seasonal pork products come from a handpicked group of RSPCA Approved farms in Western Australia. The free range pigs on these farms enjoy space to move, explore and socialise.
“This is the third year we’ve offered RSPCA Approved Leg Hams at our supermarkets and the second year we’ve had them available nationally,” says Coles.
With more than 780 stores across Australia, the fact that RSPCA Approved products are available nationally at Coles this Christmas is a big deal. In fact, Coles has been instrumental in helping the RSPCA achieve a massive win for farm animals.
In the 21 years since the Approved Farming Scheme began, more than one billion farm animals have been raised according to the RSPCA’s standards. By making higher welfare alternatives available at their stores, Coles has played a key role in ensuring animals are treated in a way that meets their needs.
“We’re really proud to have contributed to reaching such a significant milestone with the RSPCA,” says Coles.
While there are many aspects of the pre-Christmas rush that can be stressful, it’s great to know that all you need to do to find humane food is head to your local Coles.
Bring on December 25!
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