Morrisons becomes first supermarket to go entirely free-range as it ends sales of caged eggs

Morrisons has become the first of the big six supermarkets to end the sale of caged eggs and go free-range only in all of its stores. The move comes five years ahead of the retailers original target due to Morrisons more than doubling the number of farmers they work with and increasing the egg supply at its own manufacturing site. Morrisons sells over 10 million eggs a week, all of which will now be free-range.

Morrisons wants to play their part in improving animal welfare, which has proven to be as important to customers as it is to the company. The commitment will mean all eggs will come from hens that have outdoor access for at least eight hours each day as well as nest boxes with wider perches and spaces for scratching and dust bathing.

For more information, please contact the Morrisons press office at The Academy on 020 7100 7100 or morrisons@theacademypr.com — Morrisons has become the first of the big six supermarkets to end the sale of caged eggs and go free-range only in all of its stores. The move comes five years ahead of the retailers original target due to Morrisons more than doubling the number of farmers they work with and increasing the egg supply at its own manufacturing site. Morrisons sells over 10 million eggs a week, all of which will now be free-range. Morrisons wants to play their part in improving animal welfare, which has proven to be as important to customers as it is to the company. The commitment will mean all eggs will come from hens that have outdoor access for at least eight hours each day as well as nest boxes with wider perches and spaces for scratching and dust bathing. For more information, please contact the Morrisons press office at The Academy on 020 7100 7100 or [email protected]

placeholder image — Morrisons has become the first of the big six supermarkets to end the sale of caged eggs and go free-range only in all of its stores. The move comes five years ahead of the retailers original target due to Morrisons more than doubling the number of farmers they work with and increasing the egg supply at its own manufacturing site. Morrisons sells over 10 million eggs a week, all of which will now be free-range. Morrisons wants to play their part in improving animal welfare, which has proven to be as important to customers as it is to the company. The commitment will mean all eggs will come from hens that have outdoor access for at least eight hours each day as well as nest boxes with wider perches and spaces for scratching and dust bathing. For more information, please contact the Morrisons press office at The Academy on 020 7100 7100 or [email protected]

The retailer, which sells more than 10 million eggs a week, said it has moved to a fully free-range supply five years ahead of previous plans.

In 2016, the Bradford-based business said it would end the sale of caged eggs by 2025 following a consumer campaign by teenager Lucy Gavaghan.

It has now beaten its initial target after doubling the number of farmers the firm works with an increasing egg supply at its own manufacturing site.

The supermarket chain is the first of the big four supermarkets to start using only free-range eggs, with Sainsbury's set to stock 100% free-range eggs from April.

Other rivals such as Co-op and Waitrose already sell only free-range eggs in their stores.

Morrisons said the commitment will mean that all of its eggs will come from hens that have outdoor access for at least eight hours each day, as well as nest boxes.

The group said it will also ensure that all the eggs used as ingredients in its products will be from free-range from 2025. Morrisons is also dropping the price of a pack of six free-range eggs from 80p to 75p.

Robert Hofmann, egg buyer at Morrisons, said: "Improving animal welfare is very important to customers and it's very important to us.

"We source our eggs directly from farms and have worked hard to help them all move to free-range.

"From today, all our eggs will come from free-range hens that are able to roam freely outdoors - typically during daylight hours - and then return to nest boxes in the evening."

Dr Tracey Jones, director of food business at Compassion in World Farming, said: "It's great to see Morrisons achieving their commitment to be 100 per cent free-range on shell eggs ahead of their target.

"Momentum on ending the use of cages for laying hens is growing and Morrisons are leading the way."