Antibiotics for food-producing animals

To reverse the trend of increased antibiotic resistance, increased responsibility needs to be taken in all sectors that use antibiotics. As the largest use of antibiotics today is in animal husbandry, all actors in the food chain have a responsibility to minimize the spread of antibiotic resistance in food-producing animals. Effective efforts that reach all levels require collaboration. Therefore, Axfoundation, together with companies, academia, authorities and industry associations, and civil society organizations, has developed a clear list of criteria and an associated questionnaire that buyers can use in the dialogue with suppliers of meat and dairy products, as well as fish and other seafood. By working together, we can jointly reduce the use of antibiotics and contribute to better animal welfare.

There are 8 criteria in the antibiotic criteria list, addressing both direct antibiotic use and preventive interventions that can lead to reduced antibiotic use. For each criterion, there are associated questions to use for supplier dialogue and follow-ups.

Criteria for reduced, direct antibiotic use

1. Antibiotics must not be used for growth promotion purposes.
2. Antibiotics must only be used following the prescription by the veterinarian and must be approved for use in food-producing animals in accordance with Codex.
3. There must be detailed documentation of all the use of antibiotics, including via feed and water. The responsible veterinarian must regularly review and sign the documentation. Data on the use of antibiotics should be available on request from the actors in the supply chain.
4. If recurrent antibiotics are used for all, or the majority of, an age-specific category of animals, the reasons for this must be documented, an investigation must be carried out by a veterinarian and an action program to counteract the health problems must be developed and applied. The goal is to phase out recurring use.
5. Colistin, fluoroquinolones and third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins – antibiotics that are particularly important for human care, must only be used when a veterinarian deems that no other treatment options are effective.

Criteria for preventive, indirect interventions that can lead to reduced antibiotic use

6. For active work with reduced antibiotic use in the herd/facility, a plan with routines for preventive health care and reduced spread of infection must exist and be followed. The plan shall focus on strategic preventive animal health management, including infection control and animal welfare (see full document for what the plan must include).
7. Animals must not be mutilated because of inadequate animal husbandry.
8. Animals must be kept in a way that gives them space to move freely and be able to rest in a way that is suitable for them.

Download the Antibiotic criteria 2.0 and associated questionnaire

The first version of the antibiotic criteria was developed through an inclusive process during 2013-2014. They were first tested within food retailer Axfood and whole-saler Martin & Servera and then launched widely during 2014. The members of the Swedish Food Retailers Federation – Axfood, Bergendahls, Coop, ICA, Lidl, IKEA Foods and Livsmedelshandlarna – adopted a common policy to decrease the use of antibiotics in food production in 2016. The policy was based on the first four criteria in Axfoundation’s Antibiotic criteria 1.0, and only applied to the companies’ private labels. Since then, the members of Swedish Food Retailers Federation have also strived to influence their suppliers of other brands to follow these criteria.

During 2019-2020, Axfoundation updated the antibiotic criteria to adapt to new legislation, changes in consumer behavior and, to further encourage a positive development in animal food production. During the course of the process, companies, academia, authorities and industry associations and civil society organizations collaborated to find common ground on the issue. This process also led to the Swedish Food Retailers Federation adopting a new common policy in 2020, based on the first 6 of the 8 updated criteria.

Axfoundation’s criteria 2.0 go beyond legislation and were strengthened in, primarily, four key areas:

• Limiting the use of antibiotics especially important for human health care.
• Clarified animal welfare criteria regarding animals in cages and mutilation of animals. The list has also been developed with criteria relating to routines for preventive animal welfare work.
• Improved questionnaire that companies can use in dialogue with their suppliers, including clearer recommendations for follow-up.
• Seafood is now included and both the criteria and the questionnaire are adapted.

Today, Axfoundation works to spread the antibiotic criteria 2.0 among Swedish food retailers and food service, to national and international bodies and to authorities to achieve transformative change.

The Antibiotic criteria 2.0 was developed by Axfoundation in collaboration with a group of experts comprising Max Troell from the Beijer Institute / Stockholm Resilience Center, Jenny Lundström from Friska Djur (Healthy Animals) and Frida Lundmark-Hedman from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. In addition, a broad reference group actively participated in the development, with representatives from the food industry, civil society, academia and government; Axfood, Coop, Findus, Gård & Djurhälsan, ICA, Lidl, The Swedish Food Federation, The Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF), Martin & Servera, SIWI, The National Veterinary Institute, (SVA), Swedish Food Retailers Federation, The National Agency for Public Procurement, Vi Konsumenter), World Animal Protection, WWF in Sweden.