Take Action
Red Tractor, Improve Your Standards!
The Red Tractor label does not go far enough to ensure high animal welfare on accredited pig farms. Sign our petition asking for 5 important improvements.
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End the Cage Age
Proposed ‘Pig Husbandry Bill’ could end the torture suffered by mother pigs that are confined in narrow steel cages (farrowing crates) during each pregnancy. Please send a letter to your MP asking for their support.
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Ban Low Welfare Imports
Most UK retailers source cheap pork from outside of the UK, forcing our farmers to get bigger & intensify, or go bust. For our high welfare farmers to survive, tell MPs to ban low welfare imports.
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Let’s End Factory Farming
Factory farmed pork may seem cheap on the supermarket shelf, but the true costs are felt by the health of animals, farmers, consumers & the environment. With your support we can continue to campaign against the powerful global corporations that are damaging our food system, while also supporting a network of smaller scale, high welfare pig farms, local abattoirs and butchers across the UK.
The Issues DonateGuide to Pork Labelling
Organic
Free Range
RSPCA Assured + Outdoor Bred/Reared
RSPCA Assured
Outdoor Reared
Outdoor Bred
Red Tractor
Standard UK
Standard EU
Guide to Pork Labelling
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Organic
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- These pigs can roam freely between outdoors and shelter their entire lives. They are happy & healthy. The ‘Soil Association Organic Standard’ is one of only a few schemes that chooses to “set it’s standards even higher than the minimum EU organic requirements”.
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Free Range
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- These pigs are free to roam and express their natural instinctive behaviours such as rooting, nesting and playing. These pigs are healthier & happier and don’t require regular antibiotics.
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RSPCA Assured + Outdoor Bred/Reared
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- Breeding sows are free range their whole lives. The piglets are free-range until weaning, when they are moved indoors. Fattening pigs are kept in light and airy straw-based systems.
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RSPCA Assured
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- This scheme covers both indoor and outdoor rearing systems. Pigs that are kept permanently indoors have more space and are provided with material such as straw to root around in.
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Outdoor Reared
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- Breeding sows are free range their whole lives. The piglets are free-range until weaning, when they are moved indoors. The fattening pigs are more likely to be kept in light and airy straw-based systems.
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Outdoor Bred
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- Breeding sows are free range for their whole lives. The piglets are free-range until weaning, when they are moved indoors. Fattening pigs are likely to be kept in intensive systems unless the RSPCA Assured logo is present as well.
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Red Tractor
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- Red Tractor allows for intensive production and is not a ‘guarantee’ of good animal welfare. Pigs can be confined in intensive, indoor facilities, often on bare concrete for the entire lives. Breeding sows are confined in cages for up to 2.5 months/year.
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Standard UK
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- Minimum UK Standard legal requirements allow for intensive production. Pigs are likely to be confined in intensive, indoor facilities, often on bare concrete for the entire lives. Breeding sows are confined in cages for up to 2.5 months/year.
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Standard EU
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- Will almost certainly have come from an intensive factory farm. Breeding sows can be confined in cages for up to 4.5 months/year. Fattening pigs are kept permanently indoors on slatted floors with no bedding.
“Use the power of your purse to only buy from real farms, not animal factories. When buying pork, look for the high welfare labels RSPCA Assured, Free Range or best of all Organic. Go direct to the farmer via farmers’ markets, online or local box schemes.”
Pork Labelling Guide High Welfare Directory
High Street Pig Welfare Survey
Most High Street Chains Source Pork from Factory Farms
We undertook a pig welfare survey of 60 popular high street supermarkets & food chains. We found that three-quarters sell pork from factory farms. Many don’t offer a single high welfare alternative.
Find Out More Sign the Petition
* Equivalent standard – label/certification not used | ** ‘Own brand fresh pork’ and ‘other own brand pork products’ (such as bacon & sausages) ONLY
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