Welfare Science

Pig Welfare Food System Transformation

Transforming food systems to improve pig welfare requires coordinated action across policy, retail, production, and consumer demand.

Key Facts

Industrial pig farming accounts for the majority of global pork production
Food system change requires simultaneous action across supply chain actors
Retailer commitments have been more effective than voluntary farm-level schemes alone
Protein diversification reducing pork consumption decreases total animal welfare burden
Regulatory change provides the floor while market incentives drive above-floor improvement

Welfare Considerations

Pig welfare at scale requires food system transformation beyond farm-level management improvement. When policy, retail procurement, and consumer demand align toward higher welfare standards, the market conditions for change improve dramatically. The pace of change is insufficient given the scale of ongoing suffering. Accelerating food system transformation toward higher-welfare production is one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available.

What You Can Do

Support organisations working on food system transformation including welfare campaigning
Advocate for mandatory welfare outcome requirements in public sector food procurement
Reduce conventional pork consumption and shift to higher-welfare or plant-based alternatives