Animal welfare perception and knowledge among people living in Malta. Preliminary results

This study aimed to offer insights into Maltese consumers' perspectives and behaviours regarding animal welfare. As a preliminary investigation, 200 questionnaires have been conducted (total planned 384 questionnaires). Four key questions were explored: 1. Importance of Animal Welfare at Time of Food Purchasing: respondents were asked to rate the importance they attribute to animal welfare on a scale of 1 to 5. The most frequent answer was "medium importance" (38%), followed by "high/very high importance" (33%) and "no/little importance" (29%). 2. Products Obtained Respecting High Animal Welfare Standards: participants were asked to identify which products they believe are obtained from high animal welfare standards (multiple answers allowed). The majority (74%) indicated welfare-certified products, followed by organic products (43%). 3. Perceived Level of Animal Welfare in Malta: respondents were asked to rate the level of welfare they believe animals raised in Malta have (do not know/poor/just acceptable/ medium/good/excellent). The most frequent answer was "medium" (32%), followed by "just acceptable" (29%). 4. Willingness to Pay More for Animal Welfare-Friendly Products: participants were queried on their willingness to pay more for products sourced from higher animal welfare production systems. The most frequent answer was "It depends on the price" (28%), followed by a willingness to pay up to 5% more (24%). 11% of respondents have no intention of paying any price increase, and only 3.5% are willing to spend 20% more. These preliminary results indicate a fair level of interest among Maltese citizens towards animal welfare, which is undoubtedly susceptible to further improvement.