STOCKHOLM, 27 JANUARY 2025 – In a significant step for animal welfare, the Swedish government has followed through on its 2023 commitment to provide decommissioning aid to shut down mink fur farms. Last week the government confirmed that SEK 180 million will be allocated to former mink farms, with all farms expected to be emptied of animals by June. Swedish Fur Free Alliance member organisation Project 1882 welcomes this significant step toward the end of an unethical industry, but stresses the urgent need for a formal ban.

Since the Swedish government announced in autumn 2023 that it would provide decommissioning aid to mink farms, an increasing number of mink farms in Sweden have shut down. Alongside the financial aid for closures, the government also committed to launching an inquiry into the feasibility of a fur farming ban. While the aid has materialised, providing funding to roughly 20 former mink farms, the promised inquiry is still pending.

Benny Andersson, CEO of Project 1882, says:

It is encouraging that things are moving in the right direction, and I look forward to the day when we can say with certainty that all cages are empty. Now the Swedish government also urgently needs to appoint the investigation and ensure that this unethical industry is banned once and for all.

For Project 1882, this victory has been decades in the making. With over 50 years of relentless campaigning, the organisation has played a pivotal role in dismantling Sweden’s fur industry. Their efforts also extended across borders with the Fur Free Europe initiative, which garnered over 1.5 million signatures to demand an EU-wide ban on fur farming. The campaign continues to ensure the closure of all mink fur farms in Sweden and to press the government to fulfill its commitment to a ban. At the same time, the push for a comprehensive EU-wide ban will persist. Benny Andersson concludes:

 This is an incredibly important victory for animals. It would never have happened without Project 1882’s work, so I want to take this opportunity to thank all our donors who have stood on the side of fur animals along the way and made this historic change possible.

The introduction of stricter welfare requirements in Sweden led to the closure of fox fur farms in 2005 and chinchilla fur farms in 2014. With 200,000 mink killed for their fur in 2023, Sweden is one of the few remaining countries in Europe where fur farming is still legal. Last year, Romania became the 22nd country in Europe to ban fur production over welfare concerns. The time has come for Sweden to join the growing list of countries that have banned fur cruelty and deliver on its commitment to end this harmful practice once and for all.