UK: Battery hen cages baned by 2012
The UK government has confirmed that battery hen cages are banned as from 2012.
Lord Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming and Animal Health, announced the ban at the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference held recently in the UK, despite opposition from many in the egg industry.
Compassion in World Farming chief executive Philip Lymbery said: “Lord Rooker has made a monumental decision and we cannot praise him enough for an action that will get 20 million UK birds out of battery cages every year.”
“British consumers don’t want eggs from caged hens, as seen by the growing number of consumers spending more on free-range eggs…,” he added.
Barren battery cages are due to be banned across the EU from 2012 under the Laying Hens Directive, but many in the egg industry and many Member States are keen to see this delayed by up to 10 years.
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