News

Tim Hortons funds sustainable food management research

October 7, 2013

Tim Hortons, in partnership with the University of Guelph and the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, hosted an industry summit designed to identify opportunities and barriers in the development of sustainable supply chains, with animal welfare considerations in the foodservice and retail industries.

The event provided a forum for sharing information and research among various stakeholders on the state of animal welfare and sustainability standards in food supply chains.

"Tim Hortons is committed to improving the quality of animals' lives in our supply chain in a pragmatic, responsible manner. We hope that by continuing to engage the industry in meaningful discussions, we can help identify additional opportunities for collaboration, which is crucial to the process and continued progress," said John Hemeon, EVP, Supply Chain, Tim Hortons.

New research conducted by the University of Guelph was funded in part by the Tim Hortons Sustainable Food Management Fund, created in 2012.

Dr. Michael von Massow, professor in the College of Management and Economics at the University of Guelph, presented key findings from one of the phases of the research, which evaluated consumer and stakeholder perceptions of animal welfare and sustainability in the foodservice and retail industries. Ipsos Canada conducted the research and more than 1,000 Canadian consumers across the country were surveyed.

Findings included:

• There is increasing consumer awareness and concern about animal welfare, which along with nutrition, ranked in the second tier of importance when purchasing food. Price, freshness, taste and safety ranked in the top tier. There was a significant segment of the population for whom animal welfare was an important consideration
• Consumers want more information about how their food is produced and say it will influence their choices. They are unsure about how the food they buy now is produced. About 50 percent of respondents didn't know the housing systems used for the pork they purchased, while 25 percent didn't know the housing systems used for the eggs they purchased.
• There is no agreement or consensus yet between consumers and industry stakeholders on what specifically should drive animal welfare standards but there is strong agreement that progress needs to be made and commitment to making progress
• In addition to developing new standards for animal care, the industry needs to develop a strategic implementation plan to ensure that the outcomes achieved are consistent with the objectives.

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