Animal welfare campaigners are calling on all political parties commit to mandatory labelling for food products ahead of the general election.
Mandatory labelling could help incentivise better health, welfare, and environmental standards, according to the campaigners.
The calls are being led by International Rhino Foundation director Peter Hall and Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation directors, Chris and Lorraine Platt.
Currently, there are no legal requirements to label products with information on how livestock were reared, with the exception of whole eggs
However, some farming groups have warned that labelling ranking products by method of production could add cost and complexity while failing to deliver transparency.
But Peter Hall said the public "don't know which agricultural chemicals have been used to grow our food".
“Thanks to the UK’s inadequate animal product labelling system, we are very rarely given any clues as to facts as fundamental as the environmental impact of the food we eat.
“The consumer is deprived of the ability to make an informed decision about their diet, especially in the context of the rise in allergies and negative consequences for health such as gluten intolerance, neurodiversity issues and diabetes.
“Our political classes cannot afford to miss this golden opportunity to set the record straight on food.”
It comes after Defra launched a consultation earlier this year setting out greater transparency around the origin of food and methods of production.
The department said its proposals would help consumers make decisions that "align with their values". The consultation closed for responses in May and Defra is yet to respond.
Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation director Chris Platt said that mandatory labelling would allow consumers to make informed choices.
“I’m calling for urgent action in the new Parliament to legislate for mandatory labelling on all food products sold in the UK.”
