Woolworths Group has significantly improved its commitment to farm animal welfare in recent years, according to a report by World Animal Protection, by making it an integral part of its business strategy.

The report, which analyses and ranks how global food brands provide for and support animal welfare on farms, found that Woolworths rose from tier 3 to tier 2 this year, after moving from tier 4 to tier 3 in 2016.

Major competitors Coles and Aldi both sit in tier 3, with the benchmark claiming they have more work to do to ensure their farm animal welfare approach is effectively implemented.

And, according to the report launched on Wednesday, some global food brands are continuing to resist improving animal welfare standards.

More than a third of businesses placed in the lowest brackets of the study, and provide little to no information on their approach to farm animal welfare, and one in five provide operate with no farm animal welfare policy at all.

“Covid-19 has brought new challenges like never before, but despite this, we must continue to accelerate and drive forward the animal welfare movement,” said World Animal Protection chief executive Steve McIvor.

“Animal cruelty is becoming more and more important for consumers – producers, supermarkets and restaurants would be foolish to ignore it.”