Coup for hens – Foodstuffs to be cage-free

SAFE is congratulating Foodstuffs, who owns New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square, on their announcement that they will stop selling all cage eggs from 2027.

In a statement Foodstuffs said today that following an extensive review of its egg sourcing and animal welfare policies the business has committed to a goal of being 100% cage free for eggs within 10 years. “We are committed to working with our suppliers toward our goal to be 100% cage free for packaged eggs by the end of 2027,” says Steve Anderson, Managing Director, Foodstuffs (NZ) Ltd.

“This is a historic moment for animals in New Zealand. We are delighted that Foodstuffs, owners of New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square, has listened to caring New Zealanders and made the decision to phase-out all cage eggs,” says Mandy Carter, SAFE campaigns director. “This momentous move is the culmination of a series of negotiations over many months between SAFE and Foodstuffs and we are now setting our sights on the end of the cruel cage-age for hens.”

In March, after an intensive campaign by SAFE and pressure from thousands of their customers, Countdown also committed to going cage-free. “With both Foodstuffs’ and Countdown supermarkets going cage-free, approximately 1.25 million hens will be freed from a life confined in cages,” says Ms Carter.

“By law, conventional battery cages have to be removed by egg producers by 2022. However, the egg industry was set to replace these cages with equally cruel colony cages,” says Ms Carter. “We are at a vital moment in history. As the major supermarkets have now decided to go cage egg-free, the market for such cruel products will decrease to the point that the egg industry would be foolish to plough money into building new colony cages. This announcement by Foodstuffs isn’t just a crucial breakthrough to free hens from cages; it hammers a huge nail in the coffin of colony cages.”

“The phasing out of cages is part of a global revolution by animal advocacy groups around the world including members of the Open Wing Alliance, of which SAFE is a partner organisation. Today’s announcement is a historic breakthrough for hens, but we vow to continue fighting for hens until all cages are consigned to the history books. SAFE is hatching a new plan to encourage other food businesses to go cage-free,” says Ms Carter.