Supermarkets suspended the supply of pork from the Somerby Top farm due to cruelty

• Three supermarkets suspended the supply of pork from the Somerby Top farm.
• Cruelty was detected during a hidden camera investigation.
• Red Tractor suspended the farm's certification due to violations of standards.

Three major supermarkets in Great Britain, Tesco, Asda, and Sainsbury's, suspended the supply of pork from the Somerby Top farm in Lincolnshire following the release of a hidden video, which showed confirmed cruelty to pigs. The recording was made by the animal rights organization Animal Justice Project over a period of ten months, from July 2024 to January 2025.

The video showed farm workers hitting pigs with wooden planks and other objects, as well as ignoring visible injuries on the animals. Specifically, there were confirmed cases where pigs, suffering from open wounds, were kept in overcrowded conditions.

The Somerby Top farm, which is the largest supplier of pork in Britain, owned by Cranswick, received certification from the Red Tractor organization in July 2024. However, after the release of the hidden video, Red Tractor suspended the farm's certification and referred the matter to the state regulator for animal rights.

The Red Tractor organization stated that serious violations of animal welfare standards had become evident, and the first inspection of pigs on the farm lasted only 90 seconds. Supermarkets are actively cooperating with Cranswick to conduct investigations and ensure compliance with high animal welfare standards.

Cranswick stated that animal welfare and the quality of pork are the highest priority for the company. Already after the first case of cruelty, confirmed in July 2025 at another farm, North Moor Farm, Cranswick installed surveillance cameras at all its pig farms and trained new employees.

Tags: Europe