10/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - A Eurobarometer survey published on 8 June shows that 74% of consumers believe they can improve animal welfare through their shopping choices and 57% are willing to pay more for animal welfare-friendly food products. The poll revealed that 52% of consumers do not think of animal welfare when shopping for meat, but this varies widely from one country to another. Almost 2/3 of consumers in the new Member States never or rarely consider animal welfare, while 67% of Swedes and 66% of Greeks often or sometimes do so. However, it is also clear that consumer choice is hampered by insufficiently clear food labelling: 32% of consumers could never identify such welfare-friendly food products (ranging up to 70% in some countries, particularly in the new Member States). Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou explains: “The Commission now intends to study … new initiatives on labelling.”