Almost nine in ten Britons would support an import ban on foie gras, according to a study.
Production of the French delicacy, which involves force-feeding ducks or geese to increase the fat content of their liver, is banned in the UK on cruelty grounds, but about 200 tonnes of the product are imported from Europe annually.
Imports had been due to be banned last year as part of the Animals Abroad Bill, which was supported by Conservative environmentalists including Zac Goldsmith and Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie. It was said to have been shelved after Jacob Rees-Mogg and other ministers forced a cabinet U-turn.
In a Commons debate this week, Giles Watling, the Conservative MP for Clacton, said that by defending foie gras imports, the party “risked appearing to be out of touch with the British people”.
Now a YouGov poll, commissioned by Animal Equality UK and shared with The Times, has found that 86 per cent of respondents supported a ban on foie gras made by force-feeding.
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The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said it is “considering any further steps that could be taken”.
However, a freedom of information request showed that between January and June this year, Defra had met no external stakeholders, and in the 18 months to June had met only four, including Waitrose, which stocks the product, and Foie Royale, which supplies it.
Force-feeding farmed animals is banned in Britain, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Turkey and Israel. Selling and serving foie gras is prohibited in New York City.
In 2014 India became the first country to pass a nationwide ban on the sale and import of products made by force-feeding.
Last year the King said that foie gras was not bought by or served at any royal residence. The dropping last year of the proposed import ban prompted famous names including Miriam Margolyes, Mark Rylance and Jo Brand to sign a letter to Rishi Sunak demanding Britain end its “complicity in this appalling trade”.
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Abigail Penny, executive director of Animal Equality UK, said that the production of foie gras caused “immense pain to millions of birds every year [and] poses serious disease risks, and the British public simply does not support this suffering”.
She added: “It’s time for ministers to heed the moral call and put an end to UK imports of foie gras. As animal lovers we must have no role to play in funding this inhumane practice. If foie gras is too cruel to produce, it’s too cruel to import”.
A Defra spokesman said: “We are gathering information and will continue to speak to a range of interested parties about the issues involved, in line with the government’s commitment to improving animal welfare standards.
“We have already met with Animal Equality, Waitrose, Foie Royale and Euro Foie Gras to discuss foie gras.
“As the highest-ranked G7 nation when it comes to World Animal Protection’s Animal Protection Index, the UK is a world leader on animal welfare.
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“Foie gras production using force feeding already banned in the UK and, as set out in our Action Plan for Animal Welfare, we are committed to building a clear evidence base to inform future decisions on this issue.”
