Pigs Standards and Labelling Proposals Consultation
Red Tractor seeks views on tiered welfare standards and labelling proposals for UK pig producers
At the request of industry, the Red Tractor Pigs Sector Board is seeking views on proposals to introduce tiered welfare standards and labelling for UK pigmeat. Developed by the RT Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), the proposed approach could reduce audit cost and complexity for producers and simplify consumer choice.
We’re inviting you to play a key role in shaping the future of pig production standards and labelling in the UK.
Why we’re consulting
Over the past few years, producers and industry stakeholders have consistently raised concerns about audit burden, financial pressures, and a lack of clarity around future standards. In response, Red Tractor’s Pigs Sector Board has been working on practical, industry-led proposals to address these challenges head-on.
One of the core proposals is the introduction of tiered welfare standards and on-pack labelling, a model already in place in our Poultry Scheme. These changes are designed to reduce audit duplication, provide greater transparency for consumers, and support producers with more flexibility and clearer choices.
WHAT WE’RE SEEKING YOUR VIEWS ON
- Introducing Enhanced Welfare and Free Range modules into our Pigs Scheme, along with on-pack logos, to reduce audit duplication and help consumers make informed choices.
- Exploring how Red Tractor can support a phased transition away from conventional farrowing crates, in line with practical, financial, and legislative considerations. Potentially through the introduction of a new tier to formally recognise the use of flexible farrowing in indoor systems.
- Included in the consultation are some adjustments to the existing standards. These are required to ensure the equivalence with other assurance schemes that will deliver the reduced cost and complexity, and to ensure core standards reflect best practice.
HAVE YOUR SAY
The consultation is open until 6 June 2025. It is open to all pig producers, industry stakeholders, and supply chain customers.
Watch our recent webinar to find out more
All you need to know about the proposals
The proposed changes to core Certified Standards
The proposed Enhanced Welfare and Free Range standards
Read the consultation questions before letting us know what you think
“The proposed system could remove the need for producers to juggle multiple assurance schemes, reducing audit burden and associated costs. Processors could also benefit from lower licence fees and simplified packaging by using a unified Red Tractor logo system. Red Tractor is committed to engaging with as many pig members, processors, retailers, vets, and other stakeholders as possible to ensure Red Tractor assurance continues to deliver.
The Pigs Sector Board will only introduce the changes if there is majority support from the UK pig industry. I encourage everyone to share their views and help shape the future of UK pig farming.”
Stewart Houston, Chair, Red Tractor Pig Sector Board
FAQs
Click to read the answers.
Will Red Tractor be rolling out tiered welfare labelling for other livestock sectors?
TThere are currently no plans or proposals to roll out tiered welfare labelling for sectors other than poultry and pigs. Enhanced Welfare and Free Range standards and logos were launched by Red Tractor for the poultry sector in 2020. The Red Tractor Pigs Board is now proposing to extend this approach into the Red Tractor Pigs Scheme. The Red Tractor Poultry Sector Board is also considering a Certified Standards Plus tier.
Tiered welfare labelling for the Beef & Lamb and Dairy sectors would only be considered if the respective Sector Boards, in liaison with industry, expressed an interest.
When will the Certified Standards Plus tier be launched for pigs?
There are no plans to introduce Certified Standards Plus for pigs in the immediate future.
With ongoing uncertainty around Government legislation and the potential of grant funding to support a transition from conventional farrowing crates to flexible farrowing, the Red Tractor Pigs Board is considering this potential tier on a separate timeline to the proposal to launch the Enhanced Welfare and Free Range options later this year (subject to consultation feedback). Indeed, the tier might not be launched at all.
However, we are actively seeking your views through this consultation to help inform our next steps and future consideration of this tier.
How much time does the consultation take to complete?
We estimate it should take you no longer than one hour to complete the full consultation. The consultation is split into sections with the option to only respond to the sections and questions relevant to you. Depending on which sections you choose to answer will affect the length of time it takes you to complete.
Remember, you can complete part of the consultation and then return to complete it at a later date. Save your work by pressing ‘submit’ and then return to edit it at a later date.
Why are changes to the Core Pig Standards being proposed as part of this consultation?
Proposed amendments to the existing Core Pig Standards are required to ensure the equivalence with other assurance schemes. This is needed to deliver equivalence with other schemes that will result in reduced cost and complexity, and to ensure core standards reflect best practice. While the Pig Technical Advisory Committee believes that many outdoor and indoor producers already operate at the proposed standards, the consultation is designed to establish precise views.
The consultation specifically asks for your feedback on whether some of the proposed changes should apply to all Red Tractor assured pig producers via the core standards, or to the Enhanced Welfare and Free Range tiers only. If the outcome of the consultation is not to progress with the tiered approach to standards and labelling, there will be no changes made to core standards.
