Top stores “cheat” vegetarians with cage eggs

Leading supermarkets have admitted that they are still using cage eggs in their own-brand vegetarian meals.

And labelling is so vague that hundreds of thousands of vegetarians are buying the products without realising they are supporting an intensive farming system that many of them despise.

The massive deception has been revealed by a new RSPCA survey which the Society has headlined “Cruelty behind the veggie label”. Its researchers focused on 11 major retailers and five food manufacturers. No less than nine out of the eleven supermarkets admitted that their own label veggie products contained battery eggs. The RSPCA said that Britain’s four million vegetarians are being “failed” by the big retailers

The society’s chief scientific officer John Avizienius said: “The news that supermarket own-brand vegetarian products contain eggs from battery systems will shock many vegetarian consumers, particularly those who choose not to eat food products derived from cruel farming practices.

“On top of this the absence of clear labelling means that some supermarkets are denying their consumers a right to choose. Consumers can demand change and force the industry to take note by only purchasing food made using free range or barn eggs and by telling supermarkets that products labelled ‘suitable for vegetarians’ that contain battery eggs are not suitable for them.”

The survey results in detail are as follows:

Morrisons, Iceland, Sainsbury’s, Somerfield and Spar

All declined to take part in the survey and refused to provide a list of their own label products. But all, except Morrisons who said nothing at all, admitted that some of the products contain battery eggs.

Asda

Admitted using battery eggs in all its own brand veggie products and not revealing the cage product on its labels. The RSPCA commented: “Although looking into the possibility of using free range has no demonstrable intention to phase out the use of battery eggs”.

Tesco, Safeway, Waitrose and Quorn.

Confirmed use of cage eggs in some of their own label products. Labels do not indicate where battery eggs are present. All, except Tesco, declared intention to phase out the use of intensively produced eggs.

Co-op

Ninety five per cent of own-brand vegetarian products contain eggs from caged hens but all are labelled. The Co-op is pledged to progressively switching to free range in all products.

Marks & Spencer, Cauldron Foods, Dalepak, Heinz, Realeat

All used only free range eggs in their own-brand products and clearly label all products.