Cranswick launches review following pig farm abuse scandal
News
Cranswick, the UK’s largest pork supplier, has announced an independent review into its animal welfare policies following a shocking exposé of cruelty at one of its pig farms.
The investigation, carried out by the Animal Justice Project (AJP), uncovered harrowing scenes at North Moor Farm in Lincolnshire including piglets being killed illegally by blunt force trauma, pigs being beaten with metal bars, and animals left to suffer in distressing conditions.
The undercover footage has prompted major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons to suspend supplies from the farm. Cranswick has since confirmed it will not sell pigs from the facility and has initiated a review of its livestock operations across the UK.
But while Cranswick’s leadership claims to take animal welfare “very seriously”, the company has also just announced a 14.6% jump in pre-tax profits fuelled by booming sales and a resurgence in pork exports to China.
Annie Evans, World Animal Protection, UK Farming Campaign Delivery Manager, said:
Cranswick's independent investigation is a step forward, but a good life is an impossibility for animals in factory farms. If Cranswick is truly committed to animal welfare, it should stop cruelly confining animals in sheds for most of their lives. Instead, it must create an environment that allows pigs to express natural behaviours such as foraging, ploughing the earth, and taking mud baths. This means letting animals roam outside freely.
Factory farms chase profits at the expense of the planet, animals and people. Instead, we must shift to nature-friendly farms that are good for the environment, for animals and for farmers.
This is not the first time Cranswick has been linked to animal cruelty. Despite its Red Tractor certification and supermarket partnerships, the company has a history of serious welfare breaches highlighting the systemic failures in a model that prioritises cheap meat over compassion.
A better way forward
Factory farming harms animals, people and the planet. A shift towards a humane, sustainable food system must be addressed urgently. That means supporting farmers to transition away from factory farming and towards practices that allow animals to live good lives — outdoors, with space to move and express natural behaviours. It means investing in farming that works in harmony with nature, protects our environment, and provides fair livelihoods for farmers.
This is urgent. It’s time to end cruelty to animals in factory farming.
No Future for Factory Farming