Swedish pork consumption not affected by scandal

Recent media coverage of poor animal welfare at pig farms in Sweden has not had an impact on consumption of Christmas ham and other pork meat.

According to Scan and supermarket chains of City Gross, consumers are seen to dismiss such reports soon. They added that the market has reacted in a similar way to earlier BSE reports, i.e. that sales have remained unchanged.

The scandal broke earlier in November, after the publishing of filmed material by animal rights group, The Animal Rights Alliance, which had visited several hundred farms across Sweden over the course of two years.

The film footage depicted widespread neglect of the animals and the group has reported more than 90 pig farmers to the police for violating Swedish animal protection laws, which lead to the resignation of Lars Hultström as Swedish Meats chairman. He owns one of the pig farms at the heart of the animal rights scandal.