Retailers reiterate battery-farmed egg pledge

In light of broadcaster Channel 4's season of programs on food sourcing, retailers including Morrisons and rival Sainsbury have stressed that they are actively clearing shelves of battery-farmed eggs over welfare concerns and changing legislation. The announcements highlight the pressure on both farmers and food processors over the growing importance of more ethical food sourcing and livestock treatment to both regulators and consumers. Battery farming is the practice of using battery cages in which to collect eggs from a large number of hens for a cheaper price. The move by some of the country's main retailers in rejecting the process comes ahead of EU-wide laws set to come into place by 2012 that will require improvements in the welfare of hens kept in cages. The legislation is part of European Commission directive 1999/74/EC that outlines minimum standards for laying hens. In the meantime, the practice continues to garner scrutiny from environmental groups over the cramped conditions that poultry is kept in and the reported health affects linked to the nature of their captivity. A spokesperson for Sainsbury's, one of the UK's leading retailers, said the company had taken the decision some months ago to remove battery-farmed eggs from its shelves on the back of concerns over welfare of the chickens involved. They added that the removal also applied to eggs used in own brand products, though the company is unable to ensure that outside suppliers including the world's leading food manufacturers, were following suit. Morrisons, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer also claim to have moved to stamp out stocking battery eggs at their stores.