Animal Welfare

ALDI cares for our planet and that includes all creatures great and small.

ALDI is committed to the highest industry standards of animal welfare across our supply chain, and we work closely with our suppliers to ensure the humane treatment of animals at all stages. We are continuously reviewing our own internal animal welfare standards and policies to align with industry best practice. Find out more below.

Why we care

Whether they’re purring on our lap or laying our eggs, animals have a large impact on our everyday lives. Prioritising animal welfare is an important part of being a responsible business, and we believe that animals should experience positive health and well-being and be allowed to exhibit natural foraging behaviour.

ALDI acknowledges the ‘Five Freedoms’

Our approach to animal welfare is guided by the globally recognised ‘Five Freedoms’ developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC). The ‘Five Freedoms’ are:

Freedom from hunger and thirst – by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
Freedom from discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
Freedom from pain, injury and disease – by prevention, or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Freedom to express normal behaviour – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind.
Freedom from fear and distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Our animal welfare management requirements

ALDI’s animal welfare strategies and policies are agreed upon on a national scale and developed in consultation with industry. When we make contractual agreements with producers, animal welfare requirements form part of this agreement. This ensures that all ALDI producers are responsible for the implementation of our policies.

We provide training on animal welfare topics to all buyers of animal products. It is also expected that all of our producers provide adequate training to all parties involved with the direct handling of animals throughout the supply chain.

If a producer is found to be non-compliant with our animal welfare policies, our Corporate Responsibility and Quality Assurance teams work with the producer to resolve this. If issues remain unresolved, or the same non-compliances are repeated, ALDI will take further action. This may include, but is not limited to, excluding a producer from supply.

All processing facilities of our fresh beef, lamb, pork sold at ALDI is certified by the Australian Livestock Processing Industry Animal Welfare Certification System (AAWCS ). When you see this logo on pack, it means the meat you are purchasing is certified against an independently audited animal welfare program.

Cage Free eggs

ALDI has a 100% commitment to phase out all caged shell eggs, both private label and supplier-branded, by no later than 2025. Our eggs are sourced from both small Australian family-run businesses and larger egg producers.

To ensure quality and food safety, all ALDI eggs must be produced to the Egg Standards of Australia (ESA). The ESA covers aspects of hen welfare, egg quality, biosecurity, work health and safety and environmental management. We use a cooperative approach with suppliers to make continuous improvements that may extend over and above industry standards.

Higher Welfare chicken

All of ALDI’s fresh and frozen chicken products are transitioning to 100% RSPCA Approved so keep an eye out for the logo in your local store! RSPCA Approved is an independent certification for our general chicken range. You can read more on the standard here.

Free Range chicken

Our Willowton free range chicken is Free Range Egg and Poultry Australia (FREPA) certified, meaning chickens are free to access outdoor pastures during daylight hours (age and weather permitting). You can read more on the FREPA standard here.

Independently audited pork

100% of ALDI’s fresh pork products are independently audited to the Australian Pork Industry Quality Assurance (APIQ) standard. This means that our fresh pork comes from systems that meet the APIQ Gestation Stall Free (GSF) standard. Ensuring that the sows and gilts are kept in loose housing with freedom of movement, is one of the ways in which we are improving the lives of animals within our supply chain.

Sustainably sourced seafood

100% of our fish and seafood range is responsibly sourced. ALDI requires all private label fish to be independently verified as ecologically responsible. The third-party standards include requirements for animal welfare and water quality and provide assurance that all products comply with ALDI requirements.

Animal welfare and our non-food products

Beauty is not pain. Animal testing is not permitted on any ALDI branded finished products for health and beauty, or detergents and cleaners. When you wash your hair with our shampoo or put on one of our lipsticks in the morning, you can be confident that no animals have been harmed in the testing of that product.

In that same vein, we do not offer any products containing angora wool or real fur and we prohibit live plucking of feathers and force feeding. To ensure the ethical treatment of sheep, we contractually prohibit our suppliers from using mulesing for products made with merino wool.

No monkey labour used in ALDI-branded food products

Our policy is that no monkey labour can be used in the harvesting of coconuts and coconut ingredients for all ALDI-branded food products.

How you can support animal welfare with ALDI

If you love animals as much as we do, keep an eye out for the following labels the next time you are shopping at ALDI. And why not encourage your friends and family to do the same? Together, we can speak up for those who cannot do so for themselves.

For more information, check out ALDI’s International Position Statement on Animal Welfare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Animal testing refers to procedures performed on living animals for the purpose of assessing the safety and effectiveness of a new medicinal or cosmetic product. All procedures, even those that are mild have the potential to cause animals physical and psychological distress and suffering.

The RSCPA Approved logo identifies products that meet a higher animal welfare standard. The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme is Australia’s leading independent accreditation scheme focused on animal welfare.

Look out for the RSPCA Approved logo on fresh and frozen chicken products in stores.

The scheme means that chickens:

Have good indoor environments
Have space and good lighting, encouraging them to be active
Can perch to rest and keep their bones and muscles strong
Enjoy dry litter floor covering to scratch and dust bathe

The FREPA Standards are based on the principles of the Five Freedoms for better animal welfare.

The birds have regular access to enriched and safe outdoor areas
Birds are routinely assessed and reviewed for flock health and welfare
Indoor housing facilities must provide a safe and comfortable environment for birds
Birds provided with nutritious feed and clean water to meet their requirements for optimal growth and development
Procedures and infrastructure in place to protect birds from predators at all times

The term free range refers to livestock, especially poultry, that are kept in natural conditions and that have had access to outdoor spaces and freedom of movement. It can also refer to animals, such as chickens, which have had free access to graze and forage for food.

The label “cage free” on an egg carton means that the hens that laid the eggs were not raised in a caged housing system. Cage free means that chickens are raised in either barn or outdoor environments and therefore have more room to move around.