Limitations of the Market-Based Approach to the Regulation of Farm Animal Welfare

Abstract

This article challenges the conventional wisdom that Australian consumers who are concerned about the care and treatment of farm animals are able to reflect these values through their purchasing behaviour. This is due to interference by market, political and social considerations that disrupt the transmission of animal welfare values into purchasing behaviour. For this reason, the regulation of farm animal welfare cannot be left to the market-based approach. Instead, government regulatory intervention is required in accordance with public interest theories of regulation.

Keywords: animal welfare, market, regulation, regulatory theory, consumer values, consumer behaviour