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The Co-op has become the latest UK supermarket chain to adopt more humane ways of farming and killing prawns after an outcry from welfare campaigners over cruel methods in the industry.
The retailer said on Tuesday it was introducing electrical stunning for all of its farmed prawns by 2027, instead of dropping them into ice slurry, which campaigners say can lead to a slow death by suffocation.
It has also ended the controversial practice of “eyestalk ablation”, a process in which female prawns’ eyes are crushed in order to stimulate egg production.
The Co-op joins other major supermarket chains such as Waitrose, Marks and Spencer, Tesco and J Sainsbury, which have all made similar commitments amid calls from animal rights campaigners for better welfare protection for the hundreds of billions of prawns farmed every year.
The UK imports shrimp and prawns worth about £570mn annually, and about 630bn farmed prawns are slaughtered for consumption each year globally, according to the non-profit group Aquatic Life Institute. Of that number, up to 2mn female prawns undergo eyestalk ablation.
This method, which involves crushing or cutting the prawn’s eye stalks, often causes “severe stress” and compromises the animal’s health, leading to high mortality rates, according to the institute.
The shift in policy at major supermarkets comes after UK legislation passed in 2022 recognised that crustaceans, including crabs, lobster, prawns and shrimp were sentient animals and able to experience pain, distress and harm.
“At Co-op we are committed to continuously improving animal welfare standards, and all our fresh and frozen prawns, including where used as an ingredient, are 100 per cent ablation free,” the company said.
Cecilia Valenza at the Aquatic Life Institute hailed Co-op’s decision, saying it was “a true game-changer” and other retailers must follow suit.
Earlier this year Waitrose said it would introduce electrical stunning for all its farmed prawns by the end of next year, having already phased out eyestalk ablation in its supply chain.
The International Council for Animal Welfare previously urged UK grocers including Asda, Wm Morrison and Iceland to commit to similar measures.
Asda and Iceland have been contacted for comment.
Morrisons said it took this issue “very seriously” and it was working with suppliers on coming up with credible commitments. It plans to share more details next month.
