HSA welcomes recommendation from the UK Animal Welfare Committee calling for a ban on the use of CO2 to stun pigs
31 October 2025
We are delighted to see a strong recommendation from the UK Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) which calls for a ban on the use of CO₂ to stun pigs. The report, to which we contributed evidence, echoes our calls for a ban with a phase-out period that should be as short as possible and within five years. The evidence has long been clear that CO₂ is not a humane method of slaughter for pigs, and there is now clear evidence that alternatives are both more humane and practical.
The HSA and Defra previously funded a major research project which found that Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning is not a humane alternative to CO₂ for stunning pigs. Following that conclusion, we have called for more humane alternatives to be implemented without undue delay.
The onus must now be on the UK pig industry to make rapid progress in adopting the systems identified in the report as more humane, such as argon stunning or refined methods of electrical stunning. We also urge the government to act on the report and introduce a phase-out period followed by a ban on the use of CO₂.
The UK has the opportunity to be at the forefront of a major animal welfare development which we hope will lead to change worldwide. The HSA stands ready to work alongside industry and other stakeholders, using our technical expertise to facilitate a rapid transition to a high-welfare implementation of alternative methods.
Read the AWC's full report here: https://ow.ly/1HpA50XcAvQ
Read about the study funded by the HSA and Defra on Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning: https://ow.ly/K4vN50XcAvO