The UK government has banned boiling lobsters alive as part of a significant animal cruelty crackdown, declaring the traditional practice an unacceptable way to kill sentient crustaceans. The policy, announced on 22 December 2025, extends the protections established in the 2022 legislation that officially recognised lobsters, crabs, and other invertebrates as sentient creatures capable of feeling pain.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has strongly criticised the move, describing it as 'authoritarian control freakery'. Animal welfare charities have applauded the decision, emphasising the availability of humane alternatives such as electrical stunning or chilling the animals before cooking to minimise suffering.
