8 Tips For Buying Ethical Meat At The Grocery Store

The ethics of meat eating have increasingly become important to consumers who care about animal welfare, sustainability, and health. But attempting to buy meat with these values at the grocery store can easily become a frustrating, confusing experience. Words like “farm-raised” or “free-run” are slapped on packages, but few of these terms are regulated or actually substantive. And although grocery chains have improved somewhat in carrying better meat options, the truth is that much of the meat that’s carried continues to be the product of large industrial systems with less-than-ideal approaches to animal treatment, feed, and processing practices.

For consumers who want to make intelligent decisions, it’s essential to understand how to cut through this noise. Choosing ethical meat doesn’t have to be an expensive, tedious process when you’re likely already trying to leave the grocery store ASAP. It doesn’t need to be about perfection or elitism, either. Ethical meat purchasing is about making choices in accordance with your values when and where you can. The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert to shop more ethically. A few general principles, like knowing what to look for on labels and supporting smaller producers, can go a long way.

These practices lead to better conditions for the animals being raised and result in better flavor and nutrition for you. With a little intention and some common-sense guidelines, anyone can start making more conscious meat choices — no PhD in agriculture required, just some expertise from Samantha Howe, a butcher from Toronto’s beloved Sanagan’s Meat Locker.