Food companies, are calling on EU policymakers to phase out cages for laying hens
Leading food companies across the EU sent a joint letter to the EU Commission and Members of the EU Parliament, calling for a phase out in the use of cages in farming, starting with enriched cages for laying hens.
Companies including Aldi Nord, Nestlé, Unilever, Barilla Group, Fattoria Roberti, Ferrero, Inter IKEA Group, Jamie Oliver Group, Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires, and Mondelēz International, co-signed the letter which emphasises that the business case for phasing out enriched cages for laying hens is strong, particularly at EU level. “Companies moving away from eggs from caged hens have paved the way for changing how EU farmed animals are kept. Cage-free systems are widespread, economically viable, and provide better living conditions for hens,” noted the letter.
The initiative recognizes that cage-free systems provide animals with a much better quality of life, and much progress has already been made in switching to cage-free. In 2018, more than 170 European NGOs joined the initiative and collected 1.4 million verified signatures to become the first successful European Citizens’ Initiative in farmed animal welfare.
