Corporate responsibility in
cage-free egg production
Animal welfare as an added value
Cage-free egg production ensures better food safety, is more sustainable and means better animal welfare for the hens. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in 2019 that the elimination of cages reduces salmonella poisoning in humans. According to the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe, this egg production system also allows hens to express their natural behaviours such as foraging or exploring their environment, unlike the cage system.
Two out of three citizens (67%) in Spain are in favour of banning the farming of caged hens in the European Union. Transitioning away from cages is in line with the opinion of the European Commission. The Commission is developing a legislative proposal to ban cages, also for laying hens, to come into force in 2027.
Progress Made
Help us to continue building a fairer and more sustainable food system
Large companies in the food sector have publicly committed to stop using eggs from caged hens
European welfare legislation for food animals stipulates that "an animal's freedom of movement must not be restricted in such a way as to cause unnecessary suffering". It also states that "where an animal is continuously or regularly confined, it must be provided with appropriate space for its psychological and ethological needs, in accordance with accumulated experience and scientific knowledge".
European Convention for the Protection of Animals intended for Consumption
"Eggs produced in systems that demonstrate improved animal welfare have an added value, and are therefore of higher quality”.
María Villaluenga, press officer and spokesperson for Equalia