The supermarkets have suspended provide from a UK farm after claims of cruelty
Supermarkets have suspended provides from a pig farm after an investigation detailed allegations of animal cruelty. Tesco and Asda stated they’d suspended provides from Somerby Prime Farm in Lincolnshire, which is run by British meat producer Cranswick.
It comes after the Mail on Sunday reported that employees would normally “hit pigs with boards, paddles and their fists, intentionally focusing on areas equivalent to their snout and eyes”. The newspaper added that welfare checks usually ignored “seen accidents and struggling, with one inspection of 1,000 pigs lasting simply 90 seconds”, in addition to “a number of botched killings of lame piglets”.
Covert filming on the farm, which homes 1000’s of pigs, was carried out over a 10-month interval by animal rights group Animal Justice Mission. It was reported that a few of the “most extreme abuse” was inflicted on animals two weeks after the farm was audited by meals chain assurance scheme Pink Tractor.
Pink Tractor stated Somerby Prime Farm’s certification had been suspended with quick impact following the “deeply distressing” footage. It added that it had referred the case to the Authorities’s animal welfare regulator, the Animal and Plant Well being Company.
A Tesco spokesperson stated: “We take animal welfare extraordinarily severely and anticipate all our suppliers to stick to our excessive welfare requirements. “We have been shocked by this footage, and we’ve got instantly suspended the farm in query.
“Our specialist agriculture workforce is working with the provider to hold out a full investigation.”
Asda stated it had “instantly suspended provide” from the farm after the grocery store was made conscious of the claims. In an announcement, Pink Tractor stated: “This footage is deeply distressing. Pink Tractor is taking this clear breach of animal welfare requirements extraordinarily severely.
“The farm’s Pink Tractor certification has been suspended with quick impact and a full investigation is underway. Pink Tractor is conducting a radical assessment of each present and historic footage, compliance and staffing on the farm. The farm will stay unassured if Pink Tractor is just not glad our requirements are met.
“It’s necessary to notice that this footage was taken between Could 2024 and January 2025, with proof and allegations solely being introduced to Pink Tractor in August 2025. This delay is regarding and means that these activists have prioritised ideology over defending animal welfare.
“Pink Tractor gives a free nameless whistle-blowing service and we actively encourage anybody with considerations to boost these in order that we will examine instantly.”
Cranswick’s shares plummeted in Could after UK supermarkets suspended provides from one other one in every of its farms that was linked to abuse towards pigs. Covert footage appeared to point out employees at Northmoor Farm in Lincolnshire abusing piglets.
Staff have been filmed holding piglets by their hind legs and slamming them to the bottom, utilizing a banned methodology of killing the animals often called “piglet thumping”.
Different footage confirmed the botched killing of a sow that left the animal screaming and writhing in ache. A sow was additionally proven being overwhelmed with metallic bars. The footage was filmed by Animal Justice Mission and first reported by the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
In an replace on Northmoor Farm, Pink Tractor stated: “Following the publicity of poor welfare practices in Could, Pink Tractor instantly suspended the farm’s certificates. Following a full investigation, the farm’s Pink Tractor certificates was reinstated offered strict circumstances are met. The farm is now topic to common unannounced spot checks, was required to instantly retrain employees in animal welfare and should share common regulatory stories with Pink Tractor.
“The farm was additionally required to put in CCTV, and that footage is usually reviewed by impartial welfare consultants. These phrases along with impartial on-going scrutiny have been totally complied with for the reason that reinstatement.
“As well as, Pink Tractor performed an unannounced welfare spot examine on Northmoor Farm on Wednesday thirteenth August 2025, which didn’t discover any points referring to Pink Tractor requirements.”
Cranswick has been approached for remark.
