Supermarkets suspend supplies after animal cruelty claims

Tesco and Asda paused supplies from Cranswick Somerby Top Farm in Lincolnshire after undercover footage showed alleged animal cruelty and Red Tractor suspended the farm's certification.

Supermarkets suspend supplies after animal cruelty claims

Tesco and Asda said they have suspended supplies from Somerby Top Farm in Lincolnshire, a Cranswick pig farm, after covert filming by Animal Justice Project over 10 months. Red Tractor suspended the farm’s certification with immediate effect, saying the footage is deeply distressing and has been referred to the Government’s animal welfare regulator APHA.

The farm houses thousands of pigs and has not publicly commented on the claims. Red Tractor noted that the footage was captured between May 2024 and January 2025 and presented to the scheme in August 2025. Cranswick has commissioned a full review of on farm practices by an independent veterinarian and will share results when complete.

The episode exposes how private welfare standards shape rough edges of supermarket sourcing. When a certification is paused, retailers bear the reputational burden and must justify supplier choices to shoppers. The response will test how quickly brands can translate whistleblower footage into concrete action rather than just statements.

This case could push regulators and buyers toward tighter audits and swifter public disclosures. It also highlights a gap between when concerns are raised and when oversight bodies publish findings, a delay that can fuel public skepticism about animal welfare rules and how they are enforced.

Highlights

More scrutiny may follow as reviews unfold.