Scotland considers ban on enriched egg cages
The Scottish government has initiated a consultation regarding the prohibition of colony cages, alternatively termed as "enriched cages," utilized for hens in egg production. These replaced the previous barren cages in 2012. Battery cages for birds were outlawed in the UK in the same year.
However, in Scotland, over 1.1 million chickens are still housed in "enriched cages," which offer more space for nesting, roosting, and scratching compared to the smaller battery cages.
The Scottish government's inclination leans towards a ban on installing new cages starting from 2033, followed by a complete cessation of housing birds in enriched cages from 2034. The consultation additionally solicits opinions on prohibiting the use of enriched cages from 2030.
Furthermore, it proposes a non-regulatory measure wherein retailers and caterers would pledge to cease selling and utilizing eggs from birds housed in enriched cages by 2034.
Several other countries, such as Germany (by 2025), Czechia (by 2027), and Slovakia (by 2030), are set to ban enriched cages for laying hens. France, on the other hand, has prohibited the installation of any new cages.
