Welfare auditing systems underpin most commercial welfare standards - understanding their strengths and limitations helps identify where improvements are most needed.
Welfare auditing is the enforcement mechanism for commercial standards, but its limitations are significant. Periodic visits cannot capture day-to-day welfare variation, and farms may temporarily improve conditions before announced visits. The shift from input-based auditing (does this farm have enrichment available?) to outcome-based auditing (what proportion of pigs are using the enrichment?) represents a methodological advance that better captures actual welfare. Supporting robust, independent auditing systems is an important lever for welfare improvement.