Sainsbury's make decision to sell only free range eggs from 5th February

Sainsbury’s has announced that from 5th February it will no longer sell eggs from battery hens. Sainsbury’s is the first major retailer to make such a pledge ensuring over half a million hens will no longer be kept in battery cages.

The announcement, which comes a whole year ahead of the store’s original 2010 commitment, means 2.5m fewer battery farmed eggs will be on sale each week in the UK. Sainsbury’s is the largest retailer to completely remove battery farmed eggs from its shelves.

The move means that all Sainsbury’s own label free range and organic eggs will now be sourced from 202 UK Woodland farms, specially selected for their commitment to raising hens in a more natural environment. 2p of each packet sold will be paid as a premium to Woodland producers in an effort to promote sustainable free-range farming. Already this initiative has led to over £300,000 being donated to the Woodland Trust.

Sainsbury’s is taking action to remove eggs from caged eggs over two years before government legislation that bans caged hens comes into force in 2012. The legislation will mean all caged hens will have to be moved to an enhance cage, giving the hens more freedom of movement.

Finbar Cartlidge, Sainsbury’s egg buyer, says; "We are delighted that all Sainsbury’s shoppers will now enjoy higher welfare eggs whilst the other major retailers still continue with over half their eggs coming from caged hens. We’ve worked hard with our producers to deliver a range that continues to offer our customer’s great value for money, is 100% British and is improving welfare standards of over half a million hens each week".

Rowan West-Henzell, Food Business Manager, Compassion in World Farming, said: "We are over the moon that Sainsbury’s has gone cage-free almost a year ahead of schedule. The scale of this move is breathtaking, battery cages confine hens to small wire cages, which prohibit natural behaviours, but thanks to Sainsbury’s a total of 2.3 million hens every year now living cage-free as a result of this great animal welfare move.

"We have worked closely with the Sainsbury’s team throughout this transition. What stands out is their dedicated hard work and a genuine commitment to continuously improving life for all farm animals in their supply chain. Let this be an example to the other ’big-four’ UK supermarkets who have failed to match Sainsbury’s on this issue."

Sainsbury’s has also set a target to stop using caged eggs as an ingredient in all of its food and drink by 2012. Its ’Kids’ and Taste the Difference ranges already uses only free range eggs.

Free range eggs already represent over 50% of Sainsbury’s egg sales. For its commitment to stopping the sale of eggs from battery-caged hens Sainsbury’s was awarded the 2008 Compassion in World Farming Good Egg Award.