In a recent survey Choice found 83 per cent of respondents believed that when choosing to buy food, it was important to know whether it was ethically produced. However, 91 per cent said there was not enough information about ethical production.
"Consumers pay a premium for good quality steak but they may not understand what the different production methods are," Choice food policy adviser Angela McDougall said.
"When people order a grain-fed steak, they may not realise that this means cattle are in a feedlot for 60 or 70 days on a protein-rich diet with the primary objective of fast weight gain.
"Understanding the meaning of different steak descriptions can help shoppers decide what's important to them - for some it's the ethical concerns like animal welfare and sustainability, while for others it might come down to value for money or taste."
Choice has developed a beef guide to help consumers understand what beef labels mean.
For example, biodynamic beef means biodynamic farming incorporated with organic principles with extra emphasis on soil health.
Hormone-free means cattle on a feedlot which haven't been injected with slow-release hormone growth promoters as is sometimes done to speed up fattening before sale.
Free-range beef is similar to beef advertised as grass or pasture fed but also means the animals have not been confined in a feedlot.
