Campaigners want UK supermarkets to stop selling premium ham

Animal welfare campaigners want the UK supermarkets to stop selling premium ham, including Parma, produced in sow stalls on EU farms.

An undercover investigation conducted by Compassion in World Farming CWF, an animal welfare campaign group, found that sows are forced to spend many weeks in cages so small they can only stand up and lie down.

The campaign group's footage from 16 farms across Italy, Spain, France and Poland shows the sows in cage systems, including those that supply premium Parma and Bayonne hams.

Since 1999, cages have been banned in the UK and Sweden, but their limited use in the EU allows sows to be kept in cages from the weaning of the previous litter until the end of the first four weeks of pregnancy. In June of last year, the European Commission pledged to phase out cages in all animal farming in the EU by 2027.

CWF investigators alleged that sows on these farms were kept in the same extreme confinement as those on standard farms, and that 85% of sows in the EU are kept in these conditions. Sows lie in their own excrement and urine, are unable to nurture their young, and resort to abnormal repetitive behaviour such as bar biting and chewing the air, the report alleged.

Sarah Moyes, CWF's senior campaign manager, said: Compassion in World Farming would like to see all retailers, producers and food companies make cage-free commitments for food production. The group is sending its findings to agriculture ministers across Europe and urging them to introduce the EU ban on caged farming without delay.

CWF said that 8 m branded Parma hams are produced every year in Italy, 36% of which are exported. Just over half of all exported Parma is sold within the EU, but the UK is the top export market for pre-sliced Parma ham.

The British Retail Consortium said UK retailers had led the way in requiring high animal welfare standards from all its farmers, in the UK or abroad, to reflect consumer demand, including in all areas of pork production.

Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said it is more challenging with speciality hams, where the UK has a small share of a highly regulated product, and the focus is on production methods. Tesco can not be reached for comment, but its animal welfare policy states that sows must not be kept in stalls.

Waitrose said it was working to make sure all of its farms end the use of sow stalls by the year 2025. A Waitrose spokeswoman said: "Animal welfare is key to our brand. We have led the way for pig welfare in the UK and now we want to make sure that sow stalls don't have a place in our supply chain by the year 2025. Sainsbury s does not sell Bayonne ham. A spokesman said all of our suppliers must meet strict welfare standards and be certified under one of our approved farm assurance schemes, in addition to complying with EU legislation. Asda said all of its meat was supplied according to EU and UK legislation.