Could this be the end for free range eggs in the UK?
Bird flu appears to be here to stay and the future of free range eggs looks bleak. From Monday 27 February 2023, eggs from free range flocks in England will need to be labelled as ‘barn eggs’ according to Egg Marketing Standards Regulations. This date marks the end of the 16-week grace period given after the introduction of a national mandatory housing order made on 7 November 2022, whereby all poultry and captive birds, including backyard poultry, had to be housed indoors. Yes, that’s right, eggs laid by hens confined in barns have been sold as ‘free range’ for several months now.
The housing order was implemented in an effort to limit the spread of bird flu. The Government says: “Over the last two years, the United Kingdom has faced its largest ever outbreak of avian influenza with over 300 cases [in captive birds] confirmed since late October 2021 of which over 270 have been in England.”
Viva! have exposed the horrific conditions egg-laying hens are forced to endure in the UK. There have also been reports that egg shortages on supermarket shelves are leading to an increase in imported barn eggs from potentially low-welfare farms.
Many people who eat eggs, only buy free range. Now would be the ideal time to ditch eggs and go vegan. Eggs are not good for our health and we don’t need to eat them. There are so many cruelty-free alternatives to eggs available now. Check them out here.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
View author page | View staff profile
