Scientific evidence on space allowances required for pig welfare consistently shows that current regulatory minimums in most jurisdictions are inadequate for normal behavioral expression.
The space allowance welfare science gap represents a policy failure where regulatory standards lag significantly behind scientific consensus. Current EU minimum space allowances for finishing pigs were set primarily on economic grounds and have not been revised despite substantial evidence accumulation that they are inadequate for welfare. At legal minimum densities, pigs cannot simultaneously stand, turn, and lie down comfortably as a group, creating chronic competition for space that elevates aggression, injury rates, and stress indicators. The welfare case for upward revision of space allowances is scientifically robust, and the incremental cost per kilogram of pork produced is modest.