Pork supplier Cranswick has announced a £40m investment over the next 3 years to improve animal welfare standards, following an independent review of their pig farming operations.

The move comes after footage surfaced of animal abuse at the Cranswick-operated North Moor Farm, which led to major supermarket retailers cutting supplies from the farms.

Additionally, in August and September, the Animal Justice Project reported footage of animal abuse at two Cranswick-supplier farms.

A Cranswick spokesperson said at the time: “We are deeply disappointed and frustrated by the covert footage captured on one of our farms. The behaviour depicted is wholly unacceptable and clearly breaches the values, standards and animal welfare practices that we uphold across our business.

“Much of the material appears to pre-date the significant reforms we have been implementing, including the complete overhaul of our livestock handling policies and extensive, independently led retraining for our employees.”

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Cranswick stated that there were no breaches of animal welfare standards during the independent review between June and August 2025.

The business said: “The review, which involved unannounced visits to twenty separate pig farms during June, July and August 2025, found that the Cranswick farms visited were compliant with legislation and animal welfare standards and found no evidence of poor handling and treatment of pigs on the farm. It concluded that the actions seen in the investigative films were not representative of Cranswick’s normal standards and practices.”

Following the review, the pork manufacturer is upgrading its farms with surveillance, standard working practices, new welfare officer positions and the incorporation of updated welfare procedures.

The rest of the plans for the £40m investment are set to be confirmed in December 2025.