Supermarkets drop Cranswick pig farm over animal cruelty

Filmed undercover by the Animal Justice Project, the footage from North Moor Farm in Lincolnshire shows piglets being swung by their hind legs and slammed against concrete floors — a practice banned under UK law since 2022. Workers were also filmed hitting pigs with metal bars and shovels, kicking animals, and leaving piglets to suffer in overcrowded pens.

North Moor Farm is Red Tractor certified and supplies Cranswick — one of the UK’s biggest pork producers. Cranswick pork is stocked by major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, all of whom have suspended supplies from the farm following the investigation.

A month ago, Sainsbury’s announced a £61 million partnership with Cranswick to improve animal welfare. This footage exposes just how fragile those promises are when the underlying system treats animals as disposable products.

But while supermarkets act swiftly to distance themselves from one scandal, they continue to stock brands owned by other meat giants like JBS — the world’s largest factory farming company. JBS slaughters billions of animals each year and has been repeatedly linked to animal cruelty, environmental destruction, and deforestation.

There’s a glaring double standard. British supermarkets have made the right call by suspending this Cranswick farm. But if they’re serious about animal welfare, they must cut ties with factory farming altogether.

Annie Evans, UK Farming Campaign Delivery Manager at World Animal Protection, said:

“What happened at this Cranswick pig farm is deeply disturbing – but sadly, it’s not an isolated incident. Cranswick has a troubling history of animal cruelty, yet it continues to supply major UK supermarkets.

Inside Cranswick’s factory farms, pigs — intelligent and sensitive animals — are treated as soulless cogs in a machine. This farming model prioritises profit over welfare, causing immense suffering. We urge supermarkets and the UK government to stop supporting factory farming and champion a transition to high-welfare, sustainable farming systems that protect animals, support farmers, and safeguard our planet.

Factory farming is broken

Investigations like this expose the cruelty behind closed doors but real change won’t happen unless we demand it. That’s why we’re calling on the UK government to end the expansion of cruel factory farms. If you believe animals deserve better, add your name today.