The Number Of Pigs Being Slaughtered In The UK Is Falling

The total number of pigs slaughtered for meat in the UK fell to 10 million in 2023, according to official statistics.

In total, 1.1 million fewer pigs were killed for meat than a year earlier, a drop of 10 percent. That makes 2023 the year with the lowest number of pigs slaughtered in the UK since 2013.

Meat industry representatives blamed factors including wet weather for the fall. However, the reduction is part of a longer-term downwards trend in demand for meat.

Last year, UK meat consumption fell to its lowest level on record. In response, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has spent £4 million this month on an advertising campaign that aims to get younger people eating more meat.

Demand for pig meat is not only falling in the UK. It was reported recently that US pork producers were facing their “least profitable year on record.” Veganism has boomed in the past decade, with a recent study finding that there are now an estimated 2.5 million vegans in the UK.

More consumers are shunning meat for its ethical, environmental, and health impacts. Investigations into Red Tractor-approved farms have shown that animals face immense suffering, despite the UK’s claims to have the highest welfare standards.

Plant-based news