Geese farmed for foie gras undergo force-feeding that causes severe liver disease. The practice is banned in many countries but remains legal in France and Hungary. Alternatives are emerging.
Foie gras production is among the most clearly welfare-damaging practices in commercial food production. Force-feeding causes esophageal trauma, difficulty breathing, and liver disease that would be treated as pathological in any veterinary context. The disease state — hepatic steatosis — is the product being sold. Geese and ducks demonstrate clear aversion to gavage: they attempt to avoid the feeder, show stress responses during feeding, and exhibit behavioral indicators of chronic discomfort. The ban in most EU countries reflects a scientific and ethical consensus that the practice is incompatible with animal welfare standards. Consumer refusal to purchase foie gras and retailer decisions to stop stocking it are the most direct market-level interventions available.