Iceland is under fire after scrapping its promise to go cage-free on eggs by 2025—a U-turn that animal welfare groups say leaves the retailer lagging behind the rest of the grocery sector.
According to the 2023 EggTrack report from Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), over 60% of Iceland’s eggs still come from hens kept in cages, indicating minimal progress since the original commitment made in 2026.
In response, CIWF has joined forces with the Humane League, Open Cages and the RSPCA in an open letter calling on Iceland to reconsider its decision and honour its pledge.
While 82% of eggs produced in the UK are now cage-free, several major supermarkets—including M&S, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Co-op—have already gone 100% cage-free across both shell eggs and egg ingredients.
Even those still transitioning, such as Tesco, Aldi and Lidl, have made demonstrable progress in recent years, according to the animal welfare groups.
Iceland, however, has defended its decision by citing cost concerns, claiming that selling caged eggs helps it offer lower prices to customers.
But critics have pointed out that the chain’s own caged eggs currently cost more than Tesco’s barn eggs—a higher-welfare alternative—casting doubt on Iceland’s affordability argument.
“Once a cage-free commitment is made, it must be honoured with meaningful action,” said Philip Lymbery, global CEO of CIWF.
“After nearly a decade to act, there’s simply no excuse for delay. It’s shameful that Iceland is prioritising profit over moral ethics. Everyone deserves access to higher welfare food, regardless of their income.”
New data from Kantar suggests a strong market shift, with 87% of all shell eggs sold in UK retail now cage-free—up from 78.5% just six months earlier.
According to CIWF, Iceland’s decision to backtrack leaves it increasingly isolated, both from industry peers and a growing population of welfare-conscious shoppers.
“Consumers don’t ask for caged eggs—they expect good welfare as standard at an affordable price,” added Mr Lymbery.
“Iceland’s decision to abandon its cage-free pledge isn’t just a broken promise—it’s a betrayal of trust and a step backwards for animal welfare.
"It’s time for Iceland to catch up with the rest of the sector and make cage-free its baseline, not the exception.”
Campaigners are also calling on the government to step in. CIWF has urged Defra to ban the installation of new cage systems and phase out existing ones as part of its Animal Welfare Strategy.
