Foie Gras: Diseased Livers and Broken Promises

Labour’s pre-election pledge to ban foie gras imports is already crumbling. Ministers refuse to comment, dodging questions about whether Brexit negotiations with the EU will derail the ban before it even happens. Meanwhile, millions of ducks and geese continue to be force-fed in industrial torture chambers for a product that would be illegal to produce in the UK.

A Ban Britain Won’t Commit To

The UK has banned foie gras production for nearly 20 years, but still imports tonnes of the stuff every year - because, apparently, British values stop at the border. The current government had promised to end this double standard. Before the election, Environment Secretary Steve Reed said Labour would “ban the commercial import of foie gras, where ducks and geese are aggressively force-fed.” That was less than a year ago. Now? Silence.

The problem? A looming veterinary agreement with the EU, aimed at reducing border checks and boosting economic growth. The deal would likely mean recognising EU production standards, making it difficult, if not impossible, to ban foie gras imports. If Labour goes ahead with the ban, it risks trade friction with France, the biggest foie gras producer in the world. The government’s non-response speaks volumes: this promise is on the chopping block.

What Is Foie Gras and Why Is It Banned?

Foie gras, French for “fat liver,” is made by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers swell to up to ten times their normal size. This process, known as gavage, involves shoving metal tubes down the birds’ throats and pumping massive amounts of food directly into their stomachs multiple times a day. Their engorged livers press against other organs, making it hard for them to stand or even breathe. Many birds collapse under their own weight.

In some cases, the feeding pipes leave holes in their throats. Many birds are left coated in their own vomit and waste, barely able to move. And it’s not just those force-fed who suffer - female ducklings, considered useless to the industry, are tossed alive into electric mincers or grinders within days of hatching.

This level of brutality is illegal in the UK. But we import it anyway.

The Public Wants It Gone - But Will Labour Listen?

Polling suggests most UK voters want foie gras imports banned. A Humane World for Animals survey found that 77% of people oppose importing products from animals subjected to practices that are already banned here. Yet despite this clear opposition, foie gras continues to be served in high-end restaurants and sold by upmarket stores.

Animal rights groups, including Animal Equality UK and Animal Policy International, have warned that failing to uphold the promised ban would be a betrayal.

An Industry in Decline - But Not Fast Enough

While some chefs and retailers have ditched foie gras, many continue to profit from this grotesque trade. Gordon Ramsay still serves it. Harrods and Fortnum & Mason still sell it. Even eBay, one of the largest online marketplaces, allows its sale. Meanwhile, California has banned foie gras entirely, and countries like Germany, Denmark, and Italy have introduced laws against its production.

Vegan alternatives - like Gourmey’s cultivated foie gras and plant-based versions from top chefs - prove that force-feeding is unnecessary. Michelin-starred chef Alexis Gauthier has created a decadent faux gras that removes the cruelty while keeping the flavour. But as long as the UK government stalls, the suffering continues.

Time to Hold Labour Accountable

Foie gras imports betray British values of compassion. The UK refuses to produce it for ethical reasons - so why is it fine to fund this industry abroad? The government must keep its promise and end foie gras imports once and for all. If it won’t act, we must.

What You Can Do:

🔹 Contact MPs and demand they support the ban.  

🔹 Call out restaurants and retailers that still sell foie gras.  

🔹 Support campaigns pushing for a foie gras-free Britain.  

🔹 Go vegan, because foie gras isn’t the only product of animal exploitation.

Labour said it would ban foie gras. Now they’re backtracking. Let them know we haven’t forgotten.