Arla has stopped collecting milk from a number of dairy farms after confirming unacceptable animal welfare practices, while Tesco has suspended farms in its supply chain following an undercover investigation.
The action follows allegations of 360 potential welfare breaches, including serious lameness and rough handling of cattle, uncovered by campaign group Animal Justice Project.
Arla confirmed on Tuesday (3 November) that its investigation had identified unacceptable behaviour falling below the dairy co-operative's welfare standards, prompting the suspension of milk collections.
"We have therefore suspended milk collection from a number of the farms involved," an Arla spokesperson told The Grocer.
The co-operative said affected farms had been placed on corrective action plans involving extensive training and follow-up requirements, with compliance closely monitored.
However, Arla has not disclosed how many farms are affected, how long milk collections will remain suspended or whether the action will have financial consequences for farmers.
The suspensions follow a year-long investigation by Animal Justice Project, which says it examined 16 Arla-supplying farms across 13 English counties between October 2025 and September 2026.
According to the campaign group, undercover filming took place at 10 farms, while a further six were visited during Open Farm Sunday.
Animal welfare expert Jenny Mace, commissioned by Animal Justice Project to assess the footage, identified 360 incidents she considered potential breaches of animal welfare legislation or Arla and Red Tractor standards.
These included 50 alleged cases of serious lameness, alongside footage reportedly showing cows being kicked, struck with objects, dragged across concrete and lifted using machinery.
The findings represent potential breaches identified through the campaign group's investigation, rather than legal violations established by a court or regulator.
Meanwhile, Tesco confirmed that it had suspended farms linked to its supply chain while conducting its own investigation.
A Tesco spokesperson described elements of the footage as distressing, confirming that "the farms have been suspended while we thoroughly investigate".
Three farms featured in the investigation are understood to supply milk destined for Tesco, while two have been linked to Morrisons through Arla.
However, the reported supply-chain links do not establish which individual supermarket products contain milk from the farms concerned.
Morrisons described the footage as deeply concerning and said it expected suppliers to uphold high animal welfare standards, although it has not announced any farm suspensions.
Red Tractor also questioned the use of edited footage, saying it had requested further information to establish when and where incidents were filmed and enable a meaningful investigation.
In response to the latest findings, Arla has announced tougher welfare requirements, including mandatory annual animal-handling training for all farm staff.
The co-operative is also introducing tighter restrictions on certain animal-handling practices and equipment, alongside increasing the use of unannounced farm audits.
Arla said it had assessed other farms featured in the investigation where no specific welfare concerns had been raised and found no animal-handling problems.
Animal Justice Project maintains that its findings raise wider questions about the effectiveness of animal welfare monitoring and enforcement across Britain's dairy industry.
Arla said affected farms had been placed on corrective action plans involving further training and monitoring.
However, the company has not confirmed when milk collections could resume or what financial consequences the suspensions may carry for the dairy farmers involved.
