Should I be buying ‘antibiotic-free’ products?

Any move to reduce antibiotic use sustainably, without impacting animals welfare, should be welcomed. However, there is some concern that ‘antibiotic-free’ labelling could be misleading or confusing, and have ramifications on animal welfare. Reassurance should be given that such labels don’t lead to treatment being delayed or avoided for sick animals, or that livestock in need of nothing more than a short course of medicine to recuperate will not be destroyed rather than treated.