Media Release

14th October 2003; for immediate use Viva! Challenges Tesco Over "Horror" Video Following the exposure of severe suffering in pigs on a Norfolk farm which supplies Tesco, Viva!, has challenged the supermarket to come clean about the conditions in which the pigs used for its meat are kept. Viva! produced the undercover video film which was featured in a story entitled "Revealed: horror at Tesco pig farm" in The Observer newspaper on Sunday. The group has condemned the retailer's response as "lip service". Viva! investigators visited Cherry Tree Farm at Stow Beddon, owned by Bowes of Norfolk, in August of this year and filmed, amongst other welfare problems Dead piglets lying in breeding units next to their siblings and mothers A deep necrotic ulcer on a sow's thigh A pig with a severely-damaged trotter; apparently unable to stand Maggots crawling over the corpse of a dead piglet A sow with a weeping eye infection A sow with a half-expelled still-born piglet hanging from her vagina. Investigators also filmed other skin lesions, animals crowded together in pens containing large puddles of water, breeding sows confined to farrowing crates (tiny metal cages so small they are unable even to turn around), animals with no bedding and emaciated, sickly piglets. Bowes of Norfolk is a meat processing company turning over £60 million per year. Bowes supply much of Tesco's pork, including all of its "Finest" range, and are featured on Tesco's website as an example of one of its best suppliers. In the Observer article Tesco state "We expect the highest standards from our suppliers and they are audited regularly to ensure these standards are met. We take allegations of this kind very seriously." Viva! campaigner Alistair Currie said "Tesco have made all the right noises but that doesn't alter the fact that we found evidence of significant animal suffering on a farm they promote as one of their most valued suppliers. If you look at Tesco's website they promote Bowes of Norfolk with pictures of happy looking pigs, frolicking in the open air. The reality is that hundreds of Bowes' pigs are kept on classic factory farms like Cherry Tree Farm, living out their entire lives indoors and suffering from all the welfare problems that go with the production of cheap meat. Bowes tell us that they shot the pigs who were suffering most the next day - our question is why they ever had to suffer so badly in the first place? Tesco should come clean and tell people what the lives of their pigs are really like - then they could at least make their own minds up." Notes for Editors Still and video images from the investigation are available from Viva!. The Observer story appeared in the main section, p9, on Sunday 19th October. Bowes have been Tesco suppliers for 17 years. They employ approximately 500 people. Some of their farms have RSPCA Freedom Food accreditation, but not Cherry Tree. The farm was entered causing no criminal damage. Biosecurity precautions were observed.