In a depressing echo of the concerns surrounding the Laying Hen Directive, which will ban unenriched battery cages from 1st January, UK pig industry body BPEX has warned that the majority of EU countries are likely to miss the deadline for meeting new pig welfare legislation, which will come into force in 2013. image expired

BPEX, who said its primary concern was that meat produced below UK standards would enter the country, undercutting UK farmers who acted in time to meet the new directive, revealed many countries expected to miss the deadline in a report released 1st November.

From 1st January 2013 there will be a partial ban on the use of sow stalls in the EU, although some countries, including the UK have already banned their use. However, the report revealed most member states will not be fully-compliant with the legislation when it comes into force.

The industry group has called on retailers and catering companies to make efforts to ensure all imports come from suppliers who produce to higher welfare standards. It has also encouraged retailers and food service businesses to create dedicated supply chains to ensure security of supply of higher welfare, legally compliant pork in the long term.

Farm animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming explained the necessity of the legislation, "A bare sow stall prevents nearly all natural activity and interaction with other pigs. Scientific research shows that gestation crates cause physical and psychological suffering to sows, including lameness due to weaker bones and muscles, abrasion injuries, cardiovascular problems, digestive problems and urinary tract problems."

Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming, said of the revelation, "As with the EU barren battery cage ban, which comes into force in January this year, the European Commission must make sure this legislation comes into force on time and in full.  Any nations trailing behind should be obliged to submit an action plan to the Commission showing how they intend to catch up – and be made to stick to it.

"A bare sow stall prevents nearly all natural activity and interaction with other pigs and scientific research shows that sow stalls cause physical and psychological suffering to sows.  Compassion will be doing all it can to support the ban. "

BPEX Chairman Stewart Houston said, "It is more than likely that many pig enterprises throughout the EU will fail to move to full compliance with these higher welfare standards, so there is every chance that pork produced to lower welfare standards will continue to be imported into the UK illegally. This is clearly unacceptable for consumers and will also prolong the competitive disadvantage under which the UK pig industry has operated since 1999."

A recent report by market research group IGD has shown UK consumers value animal welfare higher than ever, despite industry predictions that squeezed household budgets would inhibit spending on higher welfare meat.

James Walton, chief economist with the food and grocery research company, said research demonstrated that, "[consumers] are extremely committed to free range and ethical grocery shopping as a whole. Clearly this is a difficult time for an awful lot of people; household budgets have never been tighter. Yet, our research shows that shoppers are more interested in the ethical issues connected with food and are more likely to act on that interest."