Sow Stall Ban Update

Seven months on from the ban on the use of sow stalls only 13 Member States are fully compliant.  Figures published by the European Commission show that only Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the UK have fully implemented the rules.  Sow stalls have been banned in the UK since 1999.  The Commission has started infringement proceedings against nine other member states – Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland and Portugal.  A further five countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Finland and Slovenia) are still being investigated.

In response to the lack of compliance across Europe the National Pig Association (NPA) is running a “Wall of Fame” campaign. The campaign aims to persuade retailers and food companies to pledge that they will not import pork from non-compliant pig farms on the continent.  Approximately 60% of the pork eaten in England is imported. Marks and Spencers and Farmfoods have made their pledge across all products with other retailers including ASDA, Waitrose, Aldi and Tescos focusing on their own brand products.  Other companies on the “Wall of Fame” include Ginsters, McDonalds, Costa, Premier Inn, Kerry Foods and Booker wholesalers. Full details of the campaign and those companies involved can be found at http://www.npa-uk.org.uk/WoF-1.html