Cranswick apologises for ‘lapse in standards’ after pig abuse footage surfaces at second farm

Cranswick has apologised and promised reforms to its animal welfare standards after historic footage, published over the weekend by the Animal Justice Project, emerged showing severe pig abuse and mistreatment at its Somerby Top farm in Lincolnshire.

The video, first reported in the Mail on Sunday, shows incidents recorded between May 2024 and January 2025, including cannibalism, violent handling and improper killing.

This news comes just months after the group released footage from Cranswick-owned Northmoor Farm, showing piglets slammed onto concrete.

In an official statement, Cranswick said:

The health and welfare of our pigs is our highest priority and we were horrified to see this unacceptable footage, filmed at Somerby Top farm. As with the Northmoor Farm footage, released in May 2025, the content was recorded several months ago but has only very recently been shared with us.

We find the treatment of the pigs in the footage distressing to watch and we apologise unreservedly for this lapse in our standards. It does not in any way reflect the operating practices at our farms today.”

Hidden cameras at Somerby Top reportedly captured workers hitting pigs with boards, paddles and fists, sometimes targeting sensitive areas such as snouts and eyes. Other incidents include leaving a piglet to die for 33 hours while others cannibalised its wound, inspections of 1,000 pigs lasting just 90 seconds, and multiple botched killings of lame piglets, leaving them in distress for over 30 seconds.

The recordings also allegedly showed pigs under constant artificial lighting for up to 50 hours, in breach of welfare regulations requiring periods of darkness, while workers shouted and swore at the animals. The animal rights group reportedly captured some of the worst abuse just two weeks after a Red Tractor audit.

Investigation underway and calls for change

Cranswick has emphasised that the footage is not reflective of current practices, with changes already implemented:

Since May, we have been implementing major changes across all of our farming businesses to address the challenges raised within the footage.

We have changed the management team at these farms and staff shown in the recordings no longer work for the business. We have recruited five new full-time welfare officers. All of our farm colleagues have been retrained in livestock handling, with a strong focus on animal health and welfare.

We are currently installing AI-enabled CCTV at all of our indoor farms to monitor the health of our pigs and the behaviour of our colleagues in real time, to ensure our exacting standards are consistently met.”

Claire Palmer, director of the Animal Justice Project, said:

Cranswick has created these conditions, not the pigs. The public should be appalled. It’s time to end factory farming.”

The animal rights group is calling for a public inquiry into pig farming and a criminal investigation.

In response to the footage, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda have “immediately suspended” supplies from the Lincolnshire farm pending investigation.

A vet-led review of Cranswick’s farm operations is ongoing, with numerous farm visits and staff interviews already completed. The company said it will publish the findings once investigators complete the review.

Furthermore, a Red Tractor spokesperson confirmed it has suspended the farm’s certification and launched a full investigation. They added:

The disregard of animal welfare standards in the footage does a disservice to an industry which works hard to uphold welfare requirements.”