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Consultation on carbon dioxide stunning of pigs

As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy for England, the Government has committed to consult on banning the use of carbon dioxide gas stunning of pigs.

I can announce this consultation launches today, 26 October 2026. The proposal being consulted on is to ban 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 encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter, and is 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, whilst working with producers to maintain a resilient meat processing sector.

We wish to address the longstanding welfare concerns associated with 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 GOV.UK and will be open until 21 December 2026.