2026 has seen meaningful advances in pig welfare through regulatory progress, research breakthroughs, and industry commitments. This annual review summarises key developments and their welfare significance.
2026 represents meaningful progress on multiple fronts in pig welfare, with regulatory, scientific, and market advances combining to drive improvements for significant numbers of pigs. The regulatory momentum around enrichment enforcement and the commercial viability of CO2 alternatives are particularly significant long-term developments. Maintaining and accelerating this pace of change requires continued pressure across all these dimensions.