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Raising Awareness of Welfarewashing Shapes Public Perception of the RSPCA Assured Scheme (Animal Think Tank et al.)

This research, commissioned by Gen V, tested the effectiveness of six different framings of a London Underground ad intended to raise public awareness about welfarewashing — the misleading marketing of 'animal products' as higher welfare than they truly are. The study particularly focused on public perceptions of the RSPCA Assured scheme, which has faced scrutiny for failing to guarantee the wellbeing of farmed animals.

A nationally representative sample of 600 UK participants was recruited. Participants were first surveyed on their familiarity with welfare-related terms and their agreement with three statements about the RSPCA Assured scheme. After viewing one of six ad concepts, participants rated their agreement again with the same statements and additional measures relating to the clarity, trustworthiness and impact of the adverts.

Key Findings

  1. There is significant potential for raising public awareness of welfarewashing and opening up a broader conversation about the credibility of animal welfare claims. Before the study, only 5% of participants were familiar with the term 'welfarewashing', compared to 59% who recognised the concept of 'greenwashing".

  2. There is significant potential for shifting attitudes about welfarewashing. Exposure to a single image from the campaign had a striking impact: belief that the RSPCA Assured label guarantees the wellbeing of farmed animals dropped from nearly 70% to just over 40% (41.1%), and support for ending the scheme tripled (from 5.5% to 16.7%). This points to the power of even minimal interventions in shifting public perceptions.

  3. Messages that invite reflection and encourage people to draw their own conclusions have potential to be more persuasive than those that instruct or dictate beliefs. When possible, connecting with and building on existing mental models helps make messages clearer and more relatable.

  4. Rigorous message-testing is essential to identify the most effective ways to communicate and build public support. By refining messages based on evidence, advocates can deepen understanding and foster stronger engagement with the cause.

  5. Leveraging familiar symbols and existing mental models can greatly enhance message impact. In this study, the RSPCA logo helped viewers quickly understand and connect with the message by drawing on their prior knowledge and associations. Similarly, advocates might consider using other trusted symbols or references to make messages more accessible and meaningful.