Farmfoods had previously made a commitment to the cage-free initiative, which aims to eliminate the sale of caged eggs by the end of 2025. However, the company has since rescinded this pledge.
In response, animal rights activists from The Humane League UK staged protests outside Farmfoods’ headquarters in Glasgow, as well as in Birmingham and at their depot in Solihull.
The charity has dedicated months to engaging Farmfoods in discussions regarding their decision to withdraw from the cage-free commitment, yet has not achieved significant progress.
Upon dropping the pledge, Farmfoods asserted it was “unwilling to deny customers access to the good value, nutritious food provided by eggs laid by caged hens.”
Nevertheless, The Humane League UK highlighted that caging hens restricts their ability to engage in essential behaviors such as dust-bathing, perching, roosting, and wing-flapping. This confinement leads to considerable stress and weakens their bones.
As a result of Farmfoods’ reversal, approximately 140,000 hens will remain in cages. In light of this, the charity has initiated a petition that has garnered over 36,000 signatures thus far.
Commenting on the protests, The Humane League UK’s campaigns manager Claire Williams stated: “If Farmfoods can make a quick quid selling cruelly produced eggs, that is what they will do – even though the public is overwhelmingly opposed to the practice.
“With 8 out of 10 hens free from cages in the UK, Farmfoods needs to wake up and make this change, or forever stand out as a business that takes special pride in their cruelty to animals.”
Food Manufacture has reached out to Farmfoods for their perspective on this matter.
Iceland also initially tried to backtrack on their cage-free commitment but ultimately recommitted with a revised timeline after pressure from The Humane League UK.
All other major retail brands in the UK are either on track to fulfill their 2025 commitments or have already transitioned to 100% cage-free products.
