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Client behaviour change is at the heart of veterinary practice, where promoting animal health and welfare is often synonymous with engaging clients in animal management practices. In the medical realm, extensive research points to the link between practitioner communication and patient behavioural outcomes, suggesting that the veterinary industry could benefit from a deeper understanding of veterinarian communication and its effects on client motivation. Whilst extensive studies have quantified language components typical of the veterinary consultation, the literature is lacking in-depth qualitative analysis in this context. The objective of this study was to address this deficit, and offer new critical insight into veterinary communication strategies in the pursuit of client behaviour change. Role-play interactions (n = 15) between UK cattle veterinarians and an actress experienced in medical and veterinary education were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Analysis revealed that, overall, veterinarians tend to communicate in a directive style (minimal eliciting of client opinion, dominating the consultation agenda, prioritising instrumental support), reflecting a paternalistic role in the consultation interaction. Given this finding, recommendations for progress in the veterinary industry are made; namely, the integration of evidence-based medical communication methodologies into clinical training. Use of these types of methodologies may facilitate the adoption of more mutualistic, relationship-centred communication in veterinary practice, supporting core psychological elements of client motivation and resultant behaviour change.

If a laboratory animal survives an experiment without lasting compromised welfare, its future must be negotiated. Rehoming may be a consideration. This paper reports on research findings that provide an indication of the uptake of animal rehoming by UK facilities and the associated moral, ethical, practical and regulatory considerations that inform decisions to rehome or not. This research addresses a widely acknowledged gap in the literature to understand both the numbers, and types of animals rehomed from UK research facilities, as well as the main motivations for engaging in the practice, and the barriers for those facilities not currently rehoming. From the ~160 UK research facilities in the UK, 41 facilities completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of approximately 25%. Results suggest rehoming occurs routinely, yet the numbers are small; just 2322 animals are known to have been rehomed between 2015-2017. At least 1 in 10 facilities are rehoming. There exists a clear preference for the rehoming of some species (mainly cats, dogs and horses) over others (rodents, agricultural animals and primates). Indeed, although 94.15% of species kept in laboratories are rodents, they make up under a fifth (19.14%) of all animals known to be rehomed between 2015-2017. The primary motivation for rehoming is to boost staff morale and promote a positive ethical profile for the facility. Barriers include concern for the animal's welfare following rehoming, high scientific demand for animals that leaves few to be rehomed, and, finally, certain animals (mainly those genetically modified) are simply unsuited to rehoming. The findings of this research will support facilities choosing to rehome, as well as those that are not currently engaging in the practice. By promoting the practice, the benefits to rehoming in terms of improving laboratory animal's quality of life, helping facility staff to overcome the moral stress of killing, and addressing public concern regarding the fate of laboratory animals, can be attained. It is only once an understanding of rehoming from the perspective of UK research facilities has been ascertained, that appropriate policy and support can be provided.

Background The current food system in England promotes a population diet that is high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS). To address this, the UK government has implemented legislation to restrict the promotion of HFSS products in prominent locations (e.g. store entrances, checkouts) in qualifying retailers since October 2022. This study investigated the perceived impact of the legislation for affected stakeholders. Methods A pre-implementation rapid qualitative evaluation of stakeholder interviews. One hundred eight UK stakeholders participated in the study including 34 consumers, 24 manufacturers and retailers, 22 local authority enforcement officers and 28 academic and charitable health representatives. A participatory conference was used to enable policy recommendations to be confirmed by stakeholders. Results Stakeholders perceived the legislation to be a ‘good first step’ towards improving population diet but recognised this needed to be considered amongst a range of long-term obesity policies. Areas of further support were identified and these are presented as six recommendations for government to support the successful implementation of the legislation: (1) provide a free central HFSS calculator, (2) refine legislation to enhance intent and clarity, (3) conduct a robust evaluation to assess intended and unintended outcomes, (4) provide greater support for smaller businesses, (5) provide ring-fenced resources to local authorities and (6) create and communicate a long-term roadmap for food and health. Conclusions This legislation has the potential to reduce impulse HFSS purchases and makes a solid start towards creating healthier retail outlets for consumers. Immediate government actions to create a freely accessible HFSS calculator, support smaller businesses and provide additional resources to local authorities would support successful implementation and enforcement. Independent evaluation of the implementation of the legislation will enable monitoring of potential unintended consequences identified in this study and support refinement of the legislation. A long-term roadmap is necessary to outline strategies to support equal access to healthier and sustainable food across the whole food system within the next 20–30 years.

Drawing together the latest research and a range of case studies, Henry Buller and Emma Roe guide readers on a fascinating journey through animal welfare issues 'from farm to fork'.Animal welfare offers a vital lens through which to explore the economies, culture and politics of food.

Background Retail food environments have largely become settings which promote less healthy foods to their customers. In an effort to prompt healthier choices, the UK Government introduced regulations in October 2022 restricting most retailers in England from promoting products high in fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) at store entrances, aisle-ends, and checkouts, and their online equivalents. Evidence is needed on how businesses approach compliance and adapt to these regulations. This study used in-depth interviews to examine business responses and generate insights to support effective implementation. Methods This cross-sectional qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 22 business representatives responsible for interpreting and implementing the regulations. The interviews were conducted via MS Teams/Zoom between August 2021–April 2022, prior to the implementation of regulations. Preparations to implement changes and predicted impact on businesses’ promotional practices were examined. Six researchers collected and analysed the data using an inductive thematic approach. Results Participants’ reactions to regulatory compliance varied according to perceived commercial impact and resource availability. While some businesses explored opportunities for healthful promotions and invested in layout changes, a significant proportion planned to comply only to the letter of the law and were testing alternative strategies for unhealthy promotions. Trade bodies played a crucial role in preparations, supporting member businesses to interpret the regulations and fostering a unified approach to compliance. Anticipated barriers to compliance included challenges such as accurately assessing product scores, reformulating products to meet standards, and ensuring consistent store-level adherence within large businesses. To enhance the regulations’ impact, participants called for (i) smaller in-scope businesses to receive additional technical support from the government, (ii) manufacturers be required to share detailed nutrient information with retailers or a centralised product nutrient profile repository be established, and (iii) out-of-home businesses be required to comply. Conclusions These mandated regulations hold potential to shift food retailers’ priorities from solely profit maximisation, to also supporting public health. However further government action is needed to ensure effective compliance for all business types and sizes. A consistent, long-term policy approach aligned with other food policies and informed by industry expertise to optimise implementation could better support obesity reduction.

Background Retail food environments in the UK use intense marketing strategies to promote the purchase and consumption of less-healthy foods that are associated with ill-health. To help address this issue, the Food (Promotion and Placement) regulations were introduced in England from October 2022, banning the placement of foods high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) at checkouts, aisle-ends, and entrances in qualifying retail settings. Ahead of their introduction, this study examined health experts’ (i) perspectives on the likely effectiveness of these regulations and (ii) recommendations to enhance their impact. Methods This cross-sectional qualitative study aimed to recruit health experts to partake in focus groups/semi-structured interviews via MS Teams. Data were collected, coded, and analysed by three researchers with input from senior colleagues, using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis method. Results Data were collected between October 2021 and March 2022 from 28 health experts, including public health and food policy academics ( n  = 9) and experts from civil society organisations ( n  = 19). Health experts perceived regulations as a major policy innovation which recognised businesses’ role in driving poor dietary choices that contribute to obesity. They also raised concerns about the outdated nutrient profiling model, limited regulatory scope, and weak enforcement. They were apprehensive about the potential for disproportionate impacts on smaller businesses and certain consumer groups. To enhance the impact of the regulations, they recommended funding independent and diverse evaluations, mandating the reporting of business sales data, and strengthening enforcement efforts. To improve the regulations’ effectiveness, they also suggested establishing mechanisms to refine regulatory guidance and introducing complementary policies within the food system. Conclusions Health experts believed that the regulations represent a significant step to curb the promotion of unhealthy foods in retail environments but will be insufficient on their own to improve population diet. To maximise their impact, a systems approach is essential, addressing shortcomings of the regulations, supporting smaller retailers in adopting health initiatives, and implementing thorough monitoring and evaluation. The regulations must form part of a comprehensive set of policies across various sectors, including manufacturing and retail, to accelerate food system transformation and address the dietary drivers of ill-health.

Background As part of the UK government’s obesity strategy, the Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 were implemented in October 2022 to restrict the prominent placement of products high in fat, sugar, or salt (HFSS) in most retail settings. Local authority (LA) officers have been tasked with enforcement of these regulations. This qualitative study examined the perspectives of LA officers including, trading standards, environmental health, and public health officers to understand enforcement approaches and requirements to optimise business compliance with the regulations. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted via MS Teams with a purposive sample of LA officers across England. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results The 22 participants comprised 13 officers from Trading Standards, six from Environmental Health, and three from Public Health teams. The key messages include the following: (i) the regulations are complex and do not align with existing enforcement approaches, (ii) officers’ professional background will result in variable enforcement practices, and (iii) compliance assessment is an arduous task. LAs are facing resource and workforce constraints and have to prioritise regulations addressing high health risks (e.g., allergens). Therefore, officers will mostly apply a light touch approach to enforcement, raising awareness and engaging with businesses rather than issuing notices. To develop a consistent enforcement approach across LAs, officers asked for (i) further leadership from central government in the form of funding, training, and tools to determine in-scope businesses and products, (ii) cross-departmental collaboration to raise the regulations’ priority at local and regional levels, and (iii) greater consumer demand for healthier retail environments. Conclusion It is crucial to address both structural challenges such as resource allocation, workforce, and prioritisation issues as well as the inherent complexity of the regulations to strengthen enforcement efforts. Our findings highlight the necessity of supporting enforcement activities at national and regional government levels to avoid potential false conclusions about ineffectiveness of regulations. Highlights • The UK Food (Promotion and Placement) regulations are perceived as complex and low priority by LA officers • A light touch enforcement approach could undermine effective implementation of the regulations • Funding is required to enable officers to conduct business support visits and encourage compliance • Accredited training for officers is required to facilitate common understanding of regulations • Qualitative methods provided novel insights about enforcement concerns of the pioneering Food (Promotions and Placement) regulations to reduce obesity

Few veterinary professionals use formal quality of life (QOL) assessment tools despite their recommendation from veterinary governing bodies to enable holistic welfare assessments and target welfare improvement strategies. Perceived barriers include resistance from owners, and this study aimed to elucidate understanding of dog owner engagement with conversations and tools relating to QOL. An online survey that investigated owner experience, comfort, and opinions about vet-client discussions on topics connected to canine health and well-being, including QOL, was completed by 410 owners. Almost all owners (95.8%) were reportedly comfortable discussing QOL, yet only 32% reported their vets had addressed it. A high proportion of owners (70.8%) expressed interest in assessment tools, but only 4.4% had experienced one, none of which were QOL tools per se. Semi-structured interviews of a sub-set of four owners provided a more in-depth examination of their experience of a health and well-being assessment tool. Thematic analysis generated three themes: ‘Use of assessment tools supports client-vet relationship and empowers owners’, ‘Owners want to talk about holistic dog care’, and ‘Owner feelings on the wider application of assessment tools’. Overall, our findings suggest that owners want to broaden the veterinary consultation conversation to discuss QOL and are interested in using tools, and therefore veterinary perceptions of owner-related barriers to tool application appear unfounded. Indeed, tool uptake appears to improve the vet-client relationship and boost owner confidence.

The biomedical industry relies on the skills of animal technologists (ATs) to put laboratory animal welfare into practice. This is the first study to explore how this is achieved in relation to their participation in implementing refinement and reduction, two of the three key guiding ethical principles––the “3Rs”––of what is deemed to be humane animal experimentation. The interpretative approach contributes to emerging work within the social sciences and humanities exploring care and ethics in practice. Based on qualitative analysis of participant observation within animal research facilities in UK universities, in-depth interviews with ATs, facility managers, and other stakeholders, and analysis of regulatory guidelines, we draw a contrast between the minimum required of ATs by law and how their care work not only meets but often exceeds these requirements. We outline how ATs constitute a key source of innovation and insight into the refinement of animal care and the reduction of animal use, hitherto not formally acknowledged. Exploring AT care work as an example of ethics in practice makes an original contribution to broader debates within health care and animal welfare about how technology, regulation, and behavior can foster and sustain a “culture of care”.