Carbon Dioxide Stunning of Pigs: Consultation

Stephen Morgan Excerpts

Monday 26th October 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Stephen Morgan)]

As set out in the animal welfare strategy for England, the Government have committed to consulting on banning the use of carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs.

I can announce that this consultation launches today, 26 October 2026. The proposal being consulted on is the banning of the use of carbon dioxide to stun pigs in the UK, following an appropriate transition period to allow impacted slaughterhouses to convert to suitable alternative stunning systems.

The Government encourage the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter, and are committed to working closely with industry to support a sustainable future for British pig production. We want to ensure that animals receive the care, respect and protection that they deserve, while working with producers to maintain a resilient meat processing sector.

We wish to address the long-standing welfare concerns associated with the high-concentration carbon dioxide stunning of pigs. Evidence shows that exposure to this gas causes significant pain, fear and respiratory distress for pigs at the point of slaughter.

The Animal Welfare Committee provided an up-to-date animal welfare assessment of the evidence on this stunning method, and potential alternatives, in October 2025. The Committee recommended that high-concentration carbon dioxide, along with carbon dioxide in gas mixtures, should be removed from the list of approved pig stunning methods.

We believe that a transition away from carbon dioxide stunning of pigs would result in a significant improvement to pig welfare at the time of killing. This transition should be managed in a way that allows the industry to make the necessary technological changes and maintain economic viability.

The consultation will provide all stakeholders with the opportunity to share views and evidence on the proposal, including on costs, feasibility, welfare impacts and implementation considerations.

The consultation will be published on www.gov.uk and will be open until 21 December 2026.

[HCWS414]