Woolworths to phase-out caged eggs
Woolworths has announced plans to phase-out caged eggs sold in-store by 2018. The company will also phase-out caged eggs used in its own-brand products.
By the end of 2014, Woolworths will also move to RSPCA or equivalent approved standards for all fresh chickens sold in store. Chicken used in the Woolworths’ own-brand products will also be RSPCA approved (or equivalent) by the end of 2018.
The company announced the changes as part of the launch of its partnership with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who has long promoted the use of ethically raised meat.
“We’ve seen a significant increase over the past five years in the choices that our customers are making in terms of buying barn and free range, and the caged eggs have seen a decline over the years,” Woolworths’ head of sustainability Armineh Mardirossian told ABC News.
“The customer is in the best position to decide how they’re going to spend their money, and that dictates everything else.”
Animal rights group Animals Australia has welcomed Woolworths’ commitment to no longer use caged eggs and to label the stocking density on its Woolworths Select free-range eggs.
“In animal welfare terms, these represent the largest areas of concern in this country with 12 million hens still confined in cages and some 460 million chickens raised for meat each year,” said Animals Australia Campaign Director Lyn White.
“Hens have been paying a terrible price for cheaper eggs. It’s terrific that Woolworths has acknowledged this and taken an historic ethical stand on the issue.
“It has been supermarkets in the UK that led needed change for animals in these areas and it is great to see Woolworths doing similar here. We would hope that other retailers match this commitment so that this move sees the beginning of the end of battery cages in this country.
“The European Union banned the barren battery cage from the beginning of last year. With Australian laws consistently failing animals raised for food it’s great to see retailers driving change.”
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