Free Range, Grass Fed, Wild Caught: UK Food Labels Explained (2026)

What do UK food labels like free range, grass fed and wild actually mean?

Some of these words are defined in law, some are defined by an independent scheme, and some mean whatever the marketing team wants. This guide sorts them into those three groups so you know which ones to trust.

What do the numbers on UK eggs mean?

Every egg sold in UK shops must be stamped with a code showing the farming method, country and farm (Trading Standards guidance):

• 0 = organic. Free range plus organic feed, flocks capped at 3,000 hens (Soil Association).
• 1 = free range. Continuous daytime access to runs mainly covered in vegetation, at most 2,500 hens per hectare (4 square metres each), and indoors no more than 9 hens per square metre (Egg Info).
• 2 = barn. Indoors only, with litter and perches.
• 3 = caged. "Enriched" colony cages. If eggs do not meet free range or barn rules, they are automatically classed as caged.

So "1UK12345" means free range, UK, farm 12345. The code is the most reliable thing on the box. Pictures of fields and words like "farm fresh" or "country" are not regulated.

Are pasture raised eggs better than free range?

"Pasture raised" has no legal meaning in the UK. It is a US term, where it sometimes refers to a 10 square metre per bird standard under private schemes. In the UK, look for a 0 (organic) or 1 (free range) code. If you want a step beyond free range, organic gives smaller flocks, and some small farms rotate hens onto fresh grass (look for specific details, not just the phrase).

During bird flu housing orders, free range and organic hens may be kept indoors by law for weeks at a time, so even the best code is not a guarantee of outdoor access every day.

What does the British Lion mark mean?

The British Lion is a food safety scheme, not a welfare one. Hens are vaccinated against Salmonella and the supply chain is audited, which is why the Food Standards Agency now says Lion eggs can be eaten runny, even by vulnerable groups. Over 90% of UK eggs carry it, including caged eggs, so read the number as well.

What does grass fed mean in the UK?

On its own, very little. "Grass fed" has no legal definition in the UK. Pasture for Life points out that animals only need around 51% of their diet from grass for some grass-fed claims, and almost all UK cattle eat some grass. Many are also fed grain, soya or concentrates, particularly in winter or for finishing.

The only UK certification that guarantees 100% grass is Pasture for Life: certified animals eat only pasture and conserved forage (hay, silage) for their whole lives, with no grain. Butchers and shops that sell it must be approved, so the claim carries through to the label. The scheme has a where to buy directory.

Is grass fed beef or butter healthier?

Grass-fed beef and dairy tend to have a better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats and more CLA (a type of fat), but beef is a minor source of omega-3 either way: a portion of oily fish has far more. Grass-fed butter is still about half saturated fat. The stronger reasons to choose it are animal welfare and how the land is farmed, rather than nutrition.

What does free range milk or Free Range Dairy mean?

"Free range milk" is not legally defined. The Free Range Dairy Network's PASTURE PROMISE label requires cows to graze outside for at least 180 days and nights a year (Ethical Consumer). It is a useful signal in a market where many UK dairy herds are now housed all year. It does not mean 100% grass-fed: cows can still eat concentrates.

What does RSPCA Assured cover?

RSPCA Assured assesses farms against RSPCA welfare standards, with an average of around 760 standards per species. Laying hens must be cage-free. It covers indoor systems for some species, so it is not the same as free range, and it says nothing about pesticides or feed type.

Wild caught vs farmed salmon: which is better?

Fish labels in the UK must say whether fish is wild-caught or farmed. Here is how they compare:

• Omega-3: farmed Atlantic salmon is still one of the richest sources of the long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA, but levels in Scottish farmed salmon roughly halved between 2006 and 2015 as fish oil in feed was replaced with plant oils (Sprague et al. 2016). Wild salmon is leaner, so per portion the gap is smaller than many assume.
• Contaminants: a large 2004 study found higher levels of PCBs and dioxins (persistent pollutants) in farmed salmon than wild, highest in European farmed fish (Hites et al. 2004). Feed changes since then have lowered levels, but oily fish in general carries more pollutants than white fish.
• NHS advice: eat at least 2 portions of fish a week, including 1 oily. Girls and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or may become pregnant should have no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week because pollutants can build up in the body (NHS).

For most people the benefits of eating oily fish outweigh the risks, wild or farmed.

What do MSC and ASC labels mean?

• MSC (blue label): wild-caught fish from fisheries independently assessed for healthy stocks, low impact on other species and good management.
• ASC (green label): farmed seafood from farms audited for environmental and social standards.

Neither tests the fish for contaminants or omega-3. They are sustainability labels.

Our picks at a glance

How we chose

We only list products where an independent label backs the claim and where we confirmed the label and price on the retailer's page. For eggs and fish, the label and code matter more than the brand, so we have not picked individual products.

The Green Butcher Diced Beef, 100% Pasture Fed

Sold through Abel & Cole, this beef comes from Horton House Farm in Wiltshire and carries the Pasture for Life mark, so "grass fed" here means 100% grass and forage for life. It is also organic. Caveat: it is a premium price for diced beef, and Pasture for Life certifies the diet, not the nutrient content of the meat.

Abel & Cole Organic Fruit & Veg Box

If organic is the label you care about, a certified box scheme is the simplest way to get it consistently. Caveat: organic is a farming method audit, not a residue test on each item. See our organic food guide for where it matters most.

What to avoid

• Unregulated words used as if they were standards: "farm fresh", "natural", "country", "pasture raised" and "grass fed" without a certification mark.
• Pictures doing the work: fields and happy animals on a pack are not evidence. Check for the egg code, organic logo, Pasture for Life, RSPCA Assured, MSC or ASC.
• Assuming a safety mark is a welfare mark: British Lion and Red Tractor are mainly about food safety and baseline standards.

Bottom line

Trust the egg code (0 or 1), organic certification, Pasture for Life for genuinely 100% grass-fed meat and dairy, PASTURE PROMISE for grazed milk, RSPCA Assured for welfare, and MSC or ASC for sustainable fish. Treat "grass fed", "pasture raised" and "free range" on milk or beef as marketing unless one of those schemes backs it. For salmon, both wild and farmed are good omega-3 sources; follow the NHS limit of 2 oily portions a week if you are pregnant or may become pregnant.