Tesco Suspends Three Arla-Supplying Dairy Farms Following Animal Welfare Investigation

Tesco has suspended three dairy farms from its supply chain while it investigates allegations about animal welfare practices highlighted by an undercover investigation by Animal Justice Project.

The retailer confirmed the action following the publication of The Big Milk Con, a 12-month investigation by UK animal rights organisation Animal Justice Project (AJP) into farms supplying dairy cooperative Arla.

The investigation, which received national media coverage following publication in the Mail on Sunday, examined 16 Arla-supplying dairy farms across 13 English counties between October 2025 and September 2026.

Animal Justice Project says footage gathered during the investigation showed examples of severely lame cows being made to walk, rough or forceful handling, tail twisting and calves being separated from their mothers shortly after birth.

The findings have prompted Tesco to suspend the three farms within its supply chain featured in the investigation while further inquiries take place.

“We take animal welfare extremely seriously, and we expect all our farmers to adhere to our high welfare standards,” a Tesco spokesperson said in a statement reported by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. “Some elements of this footage are distressing, and the farms have been suspended while we thoroughly investigate.”

Which farms have been suspended?

According to Animal Justice Project, the three Tesco-supplying farms featured in its investigation are Kingston Hill Farm near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, Bramley Farm near Daventry in Northamptonshire, and Oak Lodge Farm in Stoney Stanton, Leicestershire.

At Kingston Hill Farm, the organisation alleges that its investigation documented severely lame cows being made to walk alongside incidents of excessive force, tail twisting and verbal abuse.

At Bramley Farm, which AJP identifies as an Arla CARE farm, investigators reported incidents including tail pulling and twisting, shouting, swearing, kicking and hitting.

At Oak Lodge Farm, AJP says lameness accounted for 25 of the 35 potential breaches recorded by its independent expert, alongside allegations of lame cows being rushed and rough handling of cows while encouraging them to stand.

These claims remain allegations arising from the investigation. Animal Justice Project itself notes that the cases identified by its expert represent potential breaches of legislation or industry standards and are not formal determinations by a court, regulator or assurance body.

360 potential welfare breaches identified

Across ten of the farms where cameras were used, independent animal welfare expert Jenny Mace assessed footage and identified 360 incidents considered potential breaches of animal welfare legislation and/or Arlagården and Red Tractor requirements, according to Animal Justice Project. These included 50 cases involving serious lameness.

Arla requires its farmer owners to comply with its Arlagården programme, applicable national legislation and relevant industry assurance standards, including Red Tractor in the UK.

Ayrton Cooper, Campaigns Director at Animal Justice Project, welcomed Tesco’s decision but argued that further action was needed.

“We welcome Tesco’s decision to suspend the farms in our investigation that supply it, but this cannot be the last step,” he said.

Animal Justice Project maintains that the number and geographical spread of incidents documented during its investigation raise broader questions about welfare practices within dairy supply chains, rather than representing isolated incidents.

What happens next?

Animal Justice Project is now calling on the Competition and Markets Authority to examine whether animal welfare claims made in the marketing of dairy products could mislead consumers. The organisation is also calling on the Government to prevent further expansion of dairy farming and provide support for farmers transitioning towards alternative forms of agriculture.

The investigation raises wider questions for consumers about how animal welfare standards are monitored and communicated across complex food supply chains.

For shoppers increasingly concerned about the provenance of their food, the case also highlights the distinction between welfare standards on paper and how those standards are monitored and enforced in practice.

Tesco's suspension of the three farms is pending its investigation and should not be interpreted as a final finding that animal welfare rules have been breached.

The Big Milk Con investigation and campaign is produced by Animal Justice Project, a UK animal rights organisation that conducts undercover investigations and campaigns against animal farming.