Foie gras production involves force-feeding ducks and geese to enlarge their livers. The practice is banned in many countries but remains legal and widely exported from France.
Force-feeding (gavage) causes direct physical harm including oesophageal damage, liver disease, and impaired breathing. Birds are confined in tiny cages or crowded pens during the fattening period, preventing normal movement. The scientific consensus among veterinary and animal welfare experts is that standard foie gras production causes significant and unnecessary suffering. Bans in importing countries have been challenged on trade grounds, making consumer and corporate boycotts an important additional lever for change.