Welfare Science

Farmed Pig Welfare Summary: What Consumers Can Do

A practical guide to the most impactful actions consumers can take to improve pig welfare through their everyday choices.

Key Facts

Consumer choices drive welfare improvement by creating market incentives for higher welfare production
Certification schemes with outcome-based auditing provide the most reliable welfare assurance
Reducing total pork consumption while choosing higher welfare products has multiplicative benefit
Advocacy to retailers and brands is highly effective - companies respond to customer pressure
Political engagement on welfare legislation is the highest-leverage consumer action

Welfare Considerations

Consumer power is one of the most effective levers for pig welfare improvement. Choosing certified higher welfare products, reducing overall pork consumption, pressuring retailers for better standards, and engaging politically with welfare legislation together constitute a powerful welfare improvement toolkit. No single action is sufficient, but the combination creates systemic change.

What You Can Do

Choose pork certified by high-welfare schemes and ask retailers about their standards
Reduce overall pork consumption while choosing higher welfare products
Contact your MP about pig welfare legislation and enforcement