Wales will remove the 12‑week time limit on marketing poultry meat as free‑range during any mandatory housing order. The Free‑Range Poultrymeat Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2025 were made on 22 October and take effect on 21 November 2025, following Senedd approval. The Welsh Government says the change protects producers from avoidable relabelling costs while housing measures remain in place to manage disease risk.

Legally, the instrument amends Annex 5 of Commission Regulation 543/2008 so that poultry reared to free‑range standards can continue to be sold as “free‑range” for the full duration of any government‑imposed housing restriction designed to protect public or animal health. In short, the former 12‑week cut‑off disappears for Wales.

The timing reflects the reality of recent avian influenza seasons. Since October 2021 there have been 364 confirmed HPAI cases across Great Britain and 8.8 million birds culled or dying for disease control purposes, with housing measures lasting 22 weeks in 2021/22 and 23 weeks in 2022/23. Those durations exceeded the old derogations.

For producers and processors, the business impact is practical. Under 543/2008, poultry meat packaging must display the farming method; previously, once a housing order passed 12 weeks, free‑range meat had to switch to “barn/indoor” status. The Welsh change avoids sudden SKU changes, emergency artwork updates and contract price adjustments when housing extends beyond three months. The Government’s documents also note that while broiler flocks are typically slaughtered around eight weeks, longer‑lived birds such as turkeys, geese and ducks can breach the old 12‑week limit.

This is not a food safety change. Marketing standards govern presentation and labelling; sanitary rules sit elsewhere. That matters for consumer trust. Welsh Government research summarised in its consultation shows 49% support keeping free‑range status beyond 12/16 weeks during housing, and 53% of respondents preferred clear shelf labelling by retailers if rules change. Many retailers have already used in‑store notices voluntarily during previous housing periods.

There is useful precedent on eggs. Wales removed the separate 16‑week limit for free‑range eggs earlier this year, with the Egg Marketing Standards amendment taking effect on 21 February 2025. The EU moved in the same direction on eggs in 2023, and Northern Ireland follows EU rules under the Windsor Framework. For Welsh shoppers and suppliers, that created a clearer story on eggs; today’s poultry meat move applies the same logic.

Cross‑border alignment is improving. DEFRA and the Scottish Government confirmed in April that England and Scotland will also remove the 12‑week poultry meat limit, aiming to lay their regulations ahead of winter 2025/26. DEFRA has separately highlighted the need to avoid relabelling when housing orders run longer than planned, after recent seasons repeatedly did so. That reduces friction for supply chains serving multiple UK markets.

What should Welsh producers do before 21 November? Keep clear records linking batches to the Chief Veterinary Officer’s housing orders; confirm that all other free‑range criteria continue to be met while birds are housed; align packaging inventory and supplier lead times to avoid unnecessary over‑stickering; and agree customer communications with buyers so shoppers understand why birds were temporarily indoors. These steps strengthen audit trails and reduce disputes over claims.

Retailers and foodservice operators should review category plans for the Christmas and New Year period, when higher‑age birds are most exposed to longer housing. Clear shelf or menu messaging, short FAQs online, and consistent product page wording help maintain trust without creating a new labelling burden. The consultation evidence suggests shoppers value transparency even when they accept the need for housing.

An accompanying Regulatory Impact Assessment is referenced in the instrument’s materials and is available from the Welsh Government. Expect it to focus on avoided packaging changes, fewer emergency product reclassifications, and reduced waste from scrapped materials-balanced against the need for clear communication so the free‑range claim remains meaningful during long housing periods. For now, the takeaway for FDs and farm managers is straightforward: fewer last‑minute label changes, steadier SKUs, and simpler contracts when disease risk keeps birds indoors.