UK pig welfare policy in 2025 is focused on the ongoing debate over farrowing crate use, with legislative action on enrichment, tail docking and gestation housing also in progress.
The farrowing crate debate involves a genuine welfare trade-off: crates prevent crushing of piglets by the sow, but confine the sow in a space too small to turn around. Research supports the view that well-managed free-farrowing systems can achieve comparable piglet mortality with substantially better sow welfare. The policy failure to implement a ban has delayed welfare progress that is technically achievable and commercially demonstrated.