In brief
Denmark’s new legislation will ban mink farming by 2029, with a two‑year phased withdrawal. The decision follows a 2025 EU ban that listed the species as an invasive animal and the country’s 2020 mass cull of 15 million mink after a COVID‑19 mutation. Premium Prime recycling priority animal welfare over tradition and economics. The move signals a broader shift away from fur manufacturing and reflects global pressure on the fashion industry. Implementation will cost up to 14 million Danish kroner and leave only 15 000 animals in the country.
Denmark will stop mink farming by 7 Aug 2029, following a government reversal on a planned EU exemption.
Once the world’s largest producer of mink fur, Denmark’s industry has eroded amid global fur bans, a decline in demand, and a COVID‑19 outbreak that led to a mass cull of about 15 million animals in 2020.
The new ban takes effect in August 2029, followed by a two‑year transition period that will see the remaining farms phased out.
Nature Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen said the decision places animal welfare above long‑standing tradition, stating that "a business should not continue just because it has existed for a long time. It should also make sense for society, for the economy and for the animals."
The just‑elected coalition government had earlier sought an exemption when the EU added the mink to its list of invasive species in 2025, but on Friday chose to forego the application. Social Democrat MP Brigitte Vind welcomed the move as "a good day for animal welfare".
The Danish Mink Association, which represents breeders, has yet to respond. With production already lagging behind rivals such as Poland and China, the industry is the bleakest of the few European fur‑producer markets.
Following the 2020 cull, the government admitted it had no legal basis for the mass killing. Today there are roughly 15 000 mink left in Denmark. No final cost for closing the seven remaining farms has been set, but a coalition spokesperson estimated the expense could reach 14 million Danish krone (about £1.56 million), though the figure may rise.
Fur remains a contentious topic: while many fashion labels have eschewed real fur for years, it has resurfaced in high‑profile fashion shows and celebrity wardrobes, prompting renewed debate over its ethical use.
