Pork
In Sweden, 32.4 kg of pork was consumed per person in 2018.1Approximately 75% of consumption is produced in Sweden, and imports come mainly from Denmark, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.2 About 2% of Swedish production is organic pork.3 Contracting authorities that use sustainability criteria in their procurement of pork products can encourage better environmental sustainability in pork production and good animal welfare.
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| EU-organic product | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Organic production promotes sustainable agriculture. Organic farming should respect nature's ecosystems and different natural cycles, and strive to maintain and improve the quality of soil, water, plant health and the health of animals. The balance between all elements is to be maintained and preferably improved. Criterion text Food products must be produced in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products. | ||||
| Information about the origin of the raw material - meat | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Transparency and traceability in the food chain are important in order to be able to check sustainability parameters in the supply chain. By requiring that information about the origin of the raw-material is to be available and controllable, the procuring organization assures that traceability in the food chain is possible. Criterion text For products made from meat, information must be provided about the country(ies) of origin of the raw material(s), and this must be available for examination when a tender is submitted. This information must also be made available or provided on request throughout the term of the contract, including for any substitute items. Information about the commodity's country(ies) of origin shall include:
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| Organic product - addition pork | Advanced | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information All organic production ensures that pigs are able to go outside, but their time outside could be on a concrete slab. The majority of the feed must be produced on the farm, all feed must be free from GMOs and must be grown without the use of unnatural chemical pesticides and mineral fertilisers. Contracting authorities that use sustainability criteria at the advanced level for organic products with addendum for pork contribute, to pigs being given greater opportunity to root around on grazing land/forest floors. Criterion text Products of pork must meet requirements in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parlament and of the Council on organic production and labelling of organic products, as well as the following requirements:
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| Transport of animals to slaughter | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Animals that are transported to slaughter can be subjected to varying levels of physical and mental stress. When animals are transported over long distances, their stress can increase; it is therefore important to uphold animal welfare and keep journey times to a minimum. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been transported for no longer than eight hours to slaughter. The transport time is how long it takes for a shipment to arrive from the point of departure to its destination, including loading and unloading. If the transport time to the nearest slaughterhouse exceeds eight hours, the transport time may on isolated occasions be extended by a maximum of three hours if the vehicle meets at least the following conditions for long-distance transportation:
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| Stunning before slaughter – meat | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Slaughter methods that involve animals being stunned before slaughter are very important from an animal-welfare perspective. The basic rule within the EU is that animals shall be stunned before slaughter, but member states may grant exceptions for religious or cultural reasons. Most member states grant such exceptions, but Sweden, Norway, Denmark and others do not. Criterion text Meat must be sourced from animals that have been fully stunned and are completely unconscious when they are bled. Consciousness may not return during the period between when the animal has been stunned and it has been confirmed dead, regardless of stunning method. | ||||
| Feeding during lairage | Advanced | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Animals that are not killed immediately upon arrival at the slaughterhouse are put in lairage and may need to spend the night at the slaughterhouse. It is then important that the animals are fed so that their basic needs are met. Criterion text Meat shall be sourced from animals that are fed if the total time for transport to slaughter and lairage exceeds twelve hours. The feed shall be appropriate for the species and supplied in sufficient quantities. Ruminants shall be provided with roughage. | ||||
| Surgical procedures under anaesthesia - pork | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Surgical procedures, such as castration, are painful and stressing for piglets. The administration of anaesthesia before surgical procedures helps to reduce an animal's suffering in connection with the procedure. Contracting authorities that set criteria for the use of anaesthesia during surgical procedures contribute to ensuring that these procedures are carried out with less pain for the animals. Criterion text Pork must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during any and all surgical procedures. If piglets are castrated surgically, they must be anaesthetised for the procedure. | ||||
| Surgical procedures with anaesthesia and analgesia - pork | Advanced | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information In addition to anaesthesia given during castration, administering analgesia during the procedure can prolong the effect of the anaesthesia, and has also been shown to reduce the amount of pain-related behaviour after the procedure. By requiring that analgesia must always be administered in addition to anaesthesia, contracting authorities can contribute to surgical procedures causing less stress and pain for the animals. Criterion text Pork must be derived from animals that have been anaesthetised during any and all surgical procedures. If piglets are castrated surgically, they must be anaesthetised for the procedure. In addition to anaesthesia, analgesia (NSAIDs) must be administered during any and all surgical procedures. | ||||
| Prohibition against tail docking - pork | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Tail docking, which entails the removal of part or all of a pig's tail, is a painful procedure that can cause chronic pain and/or infection. Following the procedure, the stub becomes extremely sensitive to touch, as so-called traumatic neuroma occurs. The purpose of tail docking is usually to avoid tail biting but can lead to other parts of the body, such as the ears and legs, being injured instead.1 Requirements that forbid tail docking can help to reduce the prevalence of routine tail docking an unnecessary pain for the pigs. Criterion text Pork must be produced from animals whose tails have not been removed for preventative purposes, such as to avoid tail injuries. A pig's tail may only be treated for medical reasons, and the procedure may only be performed by a veterinarian. | ||||
| Responsible use of antibiotics - meat and milk | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information High and improper use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is associated with an increased prevalence of resistant bacteria.1 Increased antibiotics resistance constitutes a public health threat worldwide, and is an important sustainability challenge.2 Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding the responsible use of antibiotics can contribute to antibiotics being used only when necessary for the sake of an animal's health. Criterion text Animal food products must be derived from animal production where antibiotics are not used for the purpose of promoting growth or routinely as a preventative measure. Antibiotics may be given only to sick animals or as prescribed by a veterinarian to animals in groups in which disease has broken out, after a diagnosis of clinical disease in part of the group has been established. The total number of medical treatments must be documented along with the reasons for treatment and medical preparations used. 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones may be used only when microbiological examination and antimicrobial susceptibility tests show that there are no effective alternatives.
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| Pigs in loose housing | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Pigs in loose housing are able to express natural behaviour in more ways than pigs whose freedom of movement is limited for long periods of time. Freedom of movement may, however, need to be temporarily limited during feeding, care and treatment, or when pigs display aggressive behaviour. Contracting authorities that set criteria for the use of loose housing help to encourage production that allows pigs to express more of their natural behaviour. Criterion text Pork must be derived from production where all pigs are kept in loose housing systems during the entire breeding period. Sows may not be restrained when farrowing. In exceptional cases, if sows exhibit aggressive or abnormal behaviour that clearly puts piglets in danger, freedom of movement may be temporarily restricted with the help of a protective gate or similar for a maximum of three days. Protective gates or similar arrangements may also be used temporarily if the sow's behaviour constitutes a clear risk to the safety of the handler, or if the sow is being handled for treatment and procedures. A pig that is especially aggressive towards other pigs may be kept temporarily on its own in a compartment where it is able to turn around without difficulty. | ||||
| Chewable and manipulable material (litter) - pork | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information When pigs have access to suitable litter in quantities that satisfy their need to stay occupied the risk of tail biting is reduced and the ability to express their natural behaviour increases. Examples of suitable litter include straw, peat, wood shavings, hay, and combinations thereof.1 Contracting authorities that set criteria regarding the permanent access to litter help to satisfy the occupational needs of pigs and increase their ability to express normal behaviour. Criterion text Pork must be derived from pigs that have daily access to litter materials, such as straw, peat or shavings. Litter for pigs must be malleable and supplied in sufficient quantity so as to provide the comfort and occupation that pigs need. During the week prior to farrowing, sows and gilts must have access to litter for their nesting behaviour. | ||||
| More sustainably produced soy in animal feed | Core | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information The cultivation of soy can entail large environmental risks due to the high use of pesticides, soil erosion, along with the risk for land use change and deforestation in species-rich forest and grassland areas. Contracting organisations can specify requirements that improve the prerequisites for a transition to a more sustainable production of soy. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall come from animals where the soy1, if included in the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability of the soy can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of mass balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | ||||
| More sustainably produced palm oil in animal feed | Spearhead | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information The large-scale production of palm oil can entail serious risks for both people and the environment, such as deforestation and decreased biodiversity. The criterium contributes to improving the conditions for a transition to a more sustainable cultivation of oil palm. Criterion text Animal-based foods shall be produced from animals where products from oil palm1, if it forms part of the feed, is produced in such a way that, at a minimum, it covers the following:
It is adequate that the documentation of the traceability for products from oil palms in the animal feed can be shown through a segregated supply chain (Identity Preserved or Segregated), or through the principle of Mass Balance, or through the principle for credits (Credits/Book and Claim). | ||||
| Feed without GMO-content | Spearhead | Technical specification | ||
Criterion information Purchasing organisations that wish to contribute to restriction of the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture can require animals to be fed feed that does not contain GMOs. Criterion text Products of animal origin shall come from animals that have not eaten feed consisting of, containing or produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) during the rearing period. Traces of permitted GMOs1 may only be present in a proportion not exceeding 0.9 per cent for each individual raw material, provided that the presence is unintentional or technically unavoidable. | ||||
In Sweden, 32.4 kg of pork was consumed per person in 2018.1Approximately 75% of consumption is produced in Sweden, and imports come mainly from Denmark, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands.2 About 2% of Swedish production is organic pork.3 Contracting authorities that use sustainability criteria in their procurement of pork products can encourage better environmental sustainability in pork production and good animal welfare.
The average carbon footprint of each kilogramme of pork is between four and eight CO2 equivalents.4The production of pork generates a lower level of greenhouse gas emissions than meat from ruminants, but pigs do not have the same positive effect on preserving biological diversity and open landscapes as grazing animals do.5 Pork production requires large quantities of feed, the production of which takes up arable land.6 Primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions from pork production are the production of animal feed and farmyard manure.7
Fodder in pork production can include cereals, soya and by-products from the food industry. The production of soya for animal feed represents a large proportion of the global environmental impact from livestock production. The majority of soya produced is used in animal feed.8 Soya and by-products of the oil palm used in animal feed can be produced in a more sustainable way, for example by actively avoiding production in areas with high conservation values.9
Globally, there is a high level of antibiotics use in pork production. The widespread use of antibiotics around the world for both humans and animals has led to a rise in multi-resistant bacteria in our surroundings.10 Of all EU member states, Sweden has the lowest antibiotics use for farm animals.11 Preventative measures for good animal health and welfare help to keep the use of antibiotics at a minimum.
Animal welfare can be defined in several different ways. EU animal welfare legislation which emphasises that animals are to be treated as sentient beings is based on five freedoms that animals should be able to enjoy: freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury and disease, freedom to express normal behaviour, and freedom from fear and distress.12 To treat animals as sentient beings includes minimising their pain; for example, through effective anaesthesia during stressing and painful procedures such as castration and stunning before slaughter.13 Giving pigs the opportunity to occupy themselves allows them to express behaviour that is important for their well-being and reduces the risk of harmful behaviour, such as tail biting.14 Increased space also reduces the likelihood of harmful behaviour occurring in pigs.15
1 In carcass weight, including bones. For more information see Jordbruksverkets webbplats.
2 Ibid.
4 Life-cycle analysis, including primary production, processing and packaging. Röös, 2014
6 Ibid.
9 The Consumer Goods Forum, 2016
10 World Health Organization, 2023
11 European Medicines Agency, 2018
12 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, consolidated version 2016 Botreau, et al (2007)
13 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, consolidated version 2016 ;Konsumentverket, 2019; Numberger et al., 2016
14 Vermeer et al., 2017; Hellqvist, 2018; Studnitz et al., 2007; Zwicker et al., 2013
Fresh and frozen pork including compound product and cured meats with a pork content of at least 10%. Examples of products covered by the criteria:
- Pork cuts such as roast, chops, loins, fillets and hand
- Minced pork
- Spareribs
- Ham
- Schnitzel
- Smoke-cured loin of pork
- Pork belly
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Meatballs
- Processed luncheon meat
- Diced pork pancake
- Stuffed cabbage rolls
- Scandinavian hash
- Pie
- Pizza
Use the criterion or criteria which best suits your organization’s needs, goals and capacity to monitor compliance of the criteria. Indicate in the document specifically which products are to fulfil the requirement. It is also important to state how the tenderer should respond to the criteria. Do a thorough market analysis to inform yourself about market availability. Take help from the National Agency of Public Procurement's support for market analysis and early dialogue (only in Swedish).