Welfare Science

Pig Welfare Meat Consumption Reduction

Reducing meat consumption, particularly from lower-welfare systems, is a powerful lever for aggregate pig welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Reducing pork consumption reduces the number of pigs in lower-welfare production systems
Shifting consumption from lower to higher welfare pork maintains market signals supporting welfare
Flexitarian approaches to meat eating have demonstrated health and welfare benefits simultaneously
Institutional and public procurement shifts toward plant-based options can drive significant welfare improvement
Individual consumption change aggregates into market signals at scale when widely adopted

Welfare Considerations

Meat consumption decisions, particularly shifts from lower to higher welfare production or reductions in total pork consumption, create direct welfare improvement for individual pigs. Scaling individual decisions through community, institutional and policy channels maximises impact.

What You Can Do

Reduce total pork consumption and shift remaining consumption to higher-welfare certified products
Advocate for plant-based default options in institutional catering as a welfare improvement measure
Share the connection between personal food choices and pig welfare with your community