The gap between welfare regulations requiring pig enrichment and the reality of provision quality demonstrates why enforcement and specification quality matter.
Pig enrichment regulation demonstrates that rules create welfare floors but market incentives raise them. EU regulations have established that enrichment is required, but implementation quality is highly variable. Countries with stronger enforcement and more specific regulations show better outcomes than those with vague requirements and weak inspection. Certification schemes that specify material type and quantity rather than just 'enrichment presence' have driven more meaningful welfare improvement than regulations alone. The lesson is that welfare policy requires specificity, enforcement, and market complementarity to translate from regulatory text into actual pig welfare improvement.