Ashton-under-Lyne, UK – The site of a once-operational pig gas chamber, a facility that processed hundreds of thousands of animals annually, has been reduced to rubble, marking a significant, albeit symbolic, victory for animal rights advocates. The demolition of the Pilgrim’s Pride facility in Ashton-under-Lyne, near Manchester, follows a sustained campaign of exposure and pressure, underscoring the growing influence of grassroots activism in bringing opaque industry practices into the public spotlight.

For decades, the Ashton-under-Lyne facility was a central hub for the UK pork industry, reportedly slaughtering approximately 750,000 pigs each year. The primary method of slaughter employed was carbon dioxide (CO2) gas, a practice that has drawn increasing scrutiny from animal welfare organizations. While the meat industry largely operates these processes behind closed doors, the relentless efforts of activists, particularly Australian animal rights campaigner Joey Carbstrong, have brought the realities of this method to wider public consciousness.

The physical dismantling of the slaughterhouse, confirmed by recent drone footage and shared widely by Carbstrong, signifies the end of an era for this specific location. However, its legacy extends far beyond the concrete and steel that once constituted its structure. The closure and subsequent demolition are being hailed by activists as a testament to the power of investigative journalism, persistent campaigning, and the growing demand for greater transparency and ethical considerations within the food production sector.

A Timeline of Exposure and Action

The journey from a fully operational slaughterhouse to a flattened site is a narrative woven with dedication, risk, and strategic public engagement. The pivotal moments leading to the closure and demolition of the Ashton-under-Lyne facility illustrate a potent synergy between investigative work and public outcry.

Early Witnessing and the Animal Save Movement:
The Ashton-under-Lyne site had been a focal point for local animal rights activists for years, long before the major investigative breakthrough. Members of the Animal Save Movement, a global network of activists dedicated to bearing witness to animals on their way to slaughter, regularly gathered outside the facility. From a public walkway, these activists reported hearing the distress of pigs, a sound that workers often dismissed as normal animal behavior. This consistent presence outside the facility served as an early, albeit limited, form of public pressure and awareness-raising.

The Undercover Investigation: February 2021:
The critical turning point came in February 2021 when Joey Carbstrong and his team managed to gain access to the Ashton-under-Lyne slaughterhouse, obtaining what they claim to be the first-ever footage from inside a working UK pig CO2 gas chamber. This footage, later released to the public, presented a starkly different picture than the industry’s assurances of a humane process. It appeared to capture scenes of pigs exhibiting signs of panic, vocalizing distress, and struggling within the chambers, challenging the notion that high-concentration CO2 gas was a non-aversive method of stunning. The methodology involved placing pigs into metal gondolas or cages which were then lowered into an atmosphere saturated with CO2.

The "Pignorant" Documentary and Public Awareness:
Carbstrong’s extensive work documenting the treatment of pigs within the UK pork industry culminated in his feature-length documentary, Pignorant. The film not only examined the broader issues within the sector but also centered on the investigation at the Ashton facility, making the harrowing footage accessible to a global audience. The release of Pignorant in early 2024 further amplified the attention on the CO2 slaughter method, bringing it to the forefront of public discourse.

Media Exposure and Corporate Response: May 2023:
The investigation’s findings were officially brought to mainstream attention on May 2, 2023, through an exclusive report by The Guardian. According to Carbstrong, Pilgrim’s Pride was given several days’ notice prior to the article’s publication and offered a right to reply, with a crisis management specialist reportedly involved in preparing the company’s response. While Pilgrim’s Pride disputed that the footage depicted their facility, the impact of the report was significant. The investigation, disseminated through news outlets and social media, garnered approximately two million views across various platforms, creating substantial public pressure.

Rapid Corporate Repercussions:
The immediate aftermath of the Guardian report saw swift changes within Pilgrim’s Pride. Carbstrong noted that just two days after the article’s publication, a pig supply chain director and an agricultural director abruptly departed the company. This rapid exodus suggested internal turmoil and a potential acknowledgement of the severity of the situation.

The Closure Announcement: May 16, 2023:
Precisely two weeks after the damning investigation was published, Pilgrim’s Pride announced its intention to close the Ashton-under-Lyne slaughterhouse. This decision put 542 jobs at risk, highlighting the significant economic impact of such a move. The company cited unfavorable market conditions and a lack of viable opportunities for modernization or expansion of the aging site as the primary reasons for the closure. Operations were slated to be transferred to facilities in Spalding and Westerleigh, with an expectation of creating 90 new roles.

Final Slaughter and Demolition:
The Ashton facility conducted its final slaughter on July 7, 2023. Following its closure, the site remained abandoned until its recent demolition, bringing an end to approximately 70 years of slaughterhouse operations. Carbstrong anticipates that the land may eventually be redeveloped for warehousing.

Supporting Data: The Scale of Operations and Industry Impact

The closure of the Ashton-under-Lyne slaughterhouse was not a minor event; it represented a substantial shift in the UK’s pork processing capacity. The scale of operations at the facility provides crucial context for understanding the significance of its demolition.

• Annual Throughput: The facility was reportedly responsible for slaughtering approximately 750,000 pigs annually. This figure represents a significant portion of the UK’s total pig slaughter.
• National Impact: Carbstrong estimates that the Ashton facility alone accounted for close to seven percent of the country’s total pig slaughter. The removal of such a substantial processing capacity, he argues, must have contributed to a nationwide decline in pig slaughter numbers.
• National Slaughter Decline: In 2023, the UK saw a significant decrease in the number of pigs slaughtered, with approximately 1.1 million fewer animals killed compared to previous years. This represents a drop of roughly 10 percent and marks the lowest annual total since 2013. Carbstrong contends that the closure of the Ashton plant was a major factor in this decline, challenging industry explanations that focus solely on reduced pig breeding on farms.
• Industry Concentration: Carbstrong highlights the concentrated nature of the UK pig slaughter industry, noting that around nine major CO2 gas chamber facilities process approximately 90 percent of the pigs killed in the country. The remaining 10 percent are processed by roughly 100 smaller slaughterhouses. This concentration, he argues, makes each large facility a critical and potentially vulnerable point for sustained public pressure. The closure of one such major facility, therefore, represents a significant blow to the industry’s infrastructure.

Official Responses and Activist Allegations: The Narrative of "Damage Control"

The official explanations provided by Pilgrim’s Pride for the closure of the Ashton-under-Lyne facility stand in contrast to the interpretation offered by Joey Carbstrong and his team. This divergence reveals a strategic framing of events by both parties.

Pilgrim’s Pride’s Stated Reasons:
The company attributed the closure to "unfavorable market conditions and a lack of viable opportunities to modernize or expand the aging site." They emphasized the transfer of operations to their Spalding and Westerleigh facilities and the creation of new roles, aiming to portray a seamless transition and a focus on future growth.

Carbstrong’s "Damage Control" Allegations:
Carbstrong vehemently disputes the company’s narrative, characterizing their explanations as "damage control." He argues that Pilgrim’s Pride is deliberately avoiding any public acknowledgement of the role played by animal rights activism and the gas chamber investigation in their decision.

• Empowering Activism: Carbstrong believes that admitting the effectiveness of grassroots campaigns would set a dangerous precedent for the industry. Publicly crediting activists would empower them and encourage further action, a prospect the industry actively seeks to avoid. "The industry would never credit something like this to activists or to grassroots campaigners, because otherwise that empowers us," he stated.
• Capacity Discrepancies: He challenges the notion that the Spalding and Westerleigh sites could easily absorb the capacity of the Ashton plant. Carbstrong claims these facilities were already operating near their limits, making it logistically improbable to handle the approximately 750,000 pigs previously processed at Ashton.
• Insider Information: Carbstrong alleges that an insider at the Westerleigh site reported that managers frequently discussed his name, increased security measures, and privately acknowledged that the Ashton investigation had contributed to the closure. This anecdotal evidence, if accurate, suggests a private understanding within the company that contradicts their public statements.
• The "Final Push": While acknowledging that economic difficulties may have contributed to the closure, Carbstrong firmly believes that the investigation and the resulting publicity were "the final thing that tipped them over the edge." He asserts that the industry’s profitability and growth are dependent on consumer spending, and that the removal of that spending, coupled with fearless action, can indeed lead to industry decline.

Implications and the Broader Fight for Animal Welfare

The demolition of the Ashton-under-Lyne pig gas chamber is more than just the end of a single facility; it is being framed by activists as a potent symbol of what can be achieved through sustained advocacy and a powerful indicator of the potential for further change within the animal agriculture industry.

A "House of Cards" Argument:
Carbstrong characterizes the pork industry as a "house of cards," reliant on a limited number of high-capacity facilities, tight profit margins, and continued consumer support. He argues that exposing the often-hidden practices within these facilities can trigger consequences far beyond the immediate impact on a single business. The interconnectedness of the industry means that disruption at one critical node can have ripple effects throughout the entire system.

The Power of Consumer Choice and Action:
The central message disseminated by Carbstrong is one of empowerment for ordinary individuals. He emphasizes that consumers hold significant power through their purchasing decisions, stating, "Really, we do have a lot of power. We have to realize that it’s our money that makes these industries lucrative and grow." He urges people not to wait for voluntary changes from corporations or governments, but to actively drive change through various means:

• Investigations: Supporting and disseminating investigative work that exposes animal cruelty.
• Public Pressure: Engaging in campaigns and protests to raise awareness and demand accountability.
• Local Planning Objections: Actively participating in local planning processes to oppose the expansion or development of animal agriculture facilities.
• Consumer Choices: Consciously choosing to reduce or eliminate the consumption of animal products.

The Hogwood Farm Precedent:
The ongoing narrative of industry change is further illustrated by developments at Hogwood Farm in Warwickshire. This site, which was the subject of multiple undercover investigations by Viva! and a documentary film, is also facing closure. The planning statement for a proposed redevelopment of the site reportedly acknowledges the impact of Viva!’s investigations as a contributing factor to the farm’s permanent closure. This provides further evidence that public exposure and sustained activism can lead to the dismantling of problematic animal agriculture operations.

A Symbol of Hope and a Call to Action:
For activists who may feel overwhelmed by the perceived immensity and power of the meat industry, the Ashton-under-Lyne demolition serves as tangible proof that entrenched institutions can be challenged and disrupted. Carbstrong hopes that this victory will serve as a catalyst for further action, stating, "Let this empower you to fight."

The flattened ground where hundreds of thousands of pigs were once killed each year is now a stark reminder of what can be achieved. Carbstrong envisions the demolition not just as the end of one slaughterhouse but as a symbolic harbinger of the downfall of the entire industry of animal abuse. "Let the demolition of Pilgrim’s Pride’s Ashton be symbolic of the downfall of the entire industry of animal abuse," he concluded. The fight for greater animal welfare continues, but the dismantling of this notorious gas chamber offers a compelling glimpse into a future where such facilities are relegated to the past.