Commuters navigating the morning rush at more than 200 London stations might notice some familiar faces staring back at them this week. From the platforms to the inside of thousands of Tube carriages, Project Slingshot has launched a two-month visual offensive to spark a conversation about what happens behind closed doors in the British meat industry.
The striking ads, accompanied by the slogan “don’t buy it,” aim to dismantle a specific industry term that has long gone unchallenged. While the concept of ‘humane slaughter’ is often accepted at face value, this initiative highlights the uncomfortable reality that the 90% of pigs in the UK who are killed under this system are still made to suffer.
It’s “industrial-scale gaslighting,” said Project Slingshot co-founder Matthew Glover in a LinkedIn post, highlighting that many consumers would be “outraged” if the truth weren’t kept hidden.
Glover called the ‘humane’ practice of using high concentrations of carbon dioxide gas “the meat industry’s most cynical piece of spin,” noting that government advisors had first recommended ending the practice in 2003. He stressed that undercover footage showing what really went on during so-called ‘humane slaughter’ was enough to demonstrate why the practice should be abolished. And yet, 23 years later, gassing remains the industry standard in the UK.
The faces behind Project Slingshot
More than 750 ads are on display across 206 London Underground stations, featuring a diverse group of supporters, including Mathew Pritchard, Dr Amir Khan, and Diane Morgan. A further 2,200 ads are on display inside the tube trains themselves. Other supporters of the campaign include Simon Amstell, Peter Singer, and the McCartney family.
With its campaign against ‘humane slaughter’, Project Slingshot aims to make it “socially, politically and culturally impossible to keep defending reckless, dangerous industries and practices,” and it’s set its sights on factory farming first.
Comedian Diane Morgan, known for her dry wit, didn’t mince words when discussing the industry’s narrative.
“I looked up ‘humane’ in the dictionary and, I have to say, gassing didn’t come up,” she stated, adding that the issue isn’t just a few isolated incidents but a systemic failure.
Vegan chef Mathew Pritchard also weighed in on the extreme cruelty of the practice. “I’ve done some stupid things in my life,” he said, harking back to his time pulling stunts on Dirty Sanchez, “walking into a gas chamber isn’t one of them.”
The push to ban CO2 gas chambers
Despite the ‘humane’ branding, the harsh reality of CO2 stunning is increasingly under fire. A report by the independent Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) found significant evidence that the process causes “avoidable” pain, respiratory distress, and intense fear.
“Despite the evidence that pigs experience severe pain and distress, and die gasping for air,” said Project Slingshot co-founder Naomi Hallum, in a statement, “the industry asks us to believe that they kill pigs in gas chambers, not because it is cheap, but because it is humane.”
While the UK government’s updated animal welfare strategy has confirmed a phased-out approach, progress remains slow. The financial appeal of CO2, which saw its use jump from 52% in 2013 to 90% in 2025, remains a barrier to reform.
Medical and public figures have been quick to weigh in on the technicalities of the process. Dr Amir Khan, an NHS GP and TV presenter, noted: “Respiratory distress and fear. We don’t call that ‘humane’ in medicine.” Meanwhile, comedian Jen Brister compared the phrase “humane slaughter” to other oxymoronic phrases like “friendly fire.”
With 81% of the British public now opposing the use of CO2, Project Slingshot is leveraging this celebrity momentum to ensure the government’s proposed ban becomes a reality sooner rather than later.
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