Switzerland Leads the Way to Stop Animal Cruelty – From Fashion to Food

Switzerland has taken a bold step forward in the fight against animal cruelty, becoming the first European country to ban the import of fur produced through inhumane methods. The ban, approved on 30 May 2025 and taking effect from 1 July 2025 (with a two-year transition period), targets fur from animals kept in cruel farming conditions or trapped using methods that cause unnecessary suffering.

This milestone follows in the footsteps of countries like Israel and U.S. states such as California and Massachusetts, where similar bans on real fur have taken root amid a global collapse in fur demand, production dropped by approximately 85% between 2013 and 2023.

However, the Swiss ban is not without its limitations. Certain wild-capture methods, such as conibear traps deemed “instantly lethal,” are still permitted, sparking ethical concerns among animal welfare advocates. While the legislation sends a strong international message, it falls short of a full ban on all fur sourcing, especially those involving domestic wildlife trapping.

Importantly, this move is part of a broader cultural shift in Switzerland toward stronger animal protection. Alongside the fur ban, Swiss lawmakers are advancing new food labelling requirements that will require clear information about how animals were raised and treated. Under the proposed legislation, all meat, eggs, and dairy sold in Switzerland, including imported products, will need to include transparency around animal welfare standards, such as whether animals were caged, had access to the outdoors, or were given adequate space.

This makes Switzerland the first country in the world to mandate this level of detail on food labels, potentially reshaping consumer choices and putting pressure on producers to raise animal welfare standards across the supply chain.

Together, these reforms represent a growing demand for ethical consistency, from what we wear to what we eat. And while progress rarely comes all at once, Switzerland’s leadership sends a clear message to the rest of the world: animal welfare is not optional, and public policy can and should reflect that.