Scotland has removed the 12‑week cap on labelling poultry meat as free‑range during government‑mandated housing orders. The Free‑Range Poultrymeat Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 took effect on 7 November 2025, updating Annex 5 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 543/2008 for the Scottish market.

In plain terms, producers can keep using the free‑range descriptor for the full duration of any temporary veterinary housing measure imposed to protect public or animal health. The previous rule allowed free‑range labelling for up to 12 weeks; that time limit is now removed for Scotland.

For producers, this is chiefly a brand‑continuity decision. Defra framed the parallel change for England as a way to cut relabelling costs and maintain consumer confidence-logic that applies north of the border too when housing orders exceed three months. Expect fewer mid‑season packaging swaps and less write‑off of pre‑printed film.

Species matter for the economics. Ministers told the House of Lords that broiler chickens are usually slaughtered before 12 weeks, so the gain is most material for longer‑cycle free‑range turkeys, ducks and geese-products where a labelling downgrade can hit margins hardest. That reads across to Scottish producers preparing for the Christmas peak.

Retailers should also see cleaner stock management. Government’s consultation response for England and Scotland backed continuity of the free‑range label and encouraged point‑of‑sale notices during any extended housing to keep shoppers informed-useful where stores want to avoid dual‑coded SKUs.

Alignment across Great Britain is close. England’s instrument removing the 12‑week limit for poultry meat is already in place, while Wales has made equivalent regulations due to commence on 21 November 2025. That narrows the risk of divergent shelf messages within UK supply chains.

The change sits alongside earlier moves on eggs. Scotland scrapped the 16‑week egg labelling limit in November 2024; England followed in January 2025. For integrated egg‑and‑meat businesses, that means a consistent approach to free‑range status during housing orders across product lines.

Why now? Officials cite repeated avian influenza seasons since 2022 where housing measures outlasted the old derogation. Defra’s April note flagged the UK’s loss of HPAI‑free status and a very high H5 risk in wild birds-an operational backdrop where firms value predictable labelling rules.

What hasn’t changed are the underlying standards: to claim free‑range, all other production criteria still apply; the update solely covers outdoor access being temporarily restricted by law. Enforcement remains in place under the existing poultry meat marketing standards framework.

What to watch next: Wales’s commencement on 21 November should complete GB alignment; ministers also noted that any EU change would shape Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. In the meantime, producers and retailers can budget for steadier packaging runs and plan clear in‑store communications if housing is ordered this winter.