Major food companies across Europe sent today a joint letter to the EU Commission and Members of the European Parliament calling for a phase out in the use of cages in animal farming, starting with enriched cages for laying hens.
This is a vitally important first step toward improving the lives of the 300 million farmed animals that are confined to cages each year across the EU.
The signatories, which included ALDI Nord (retailer), Barilla Group, Fattoria Roberti (egg producer), Ferrero, Inter IKEA Group (retailer), Jamie Oliver Group, Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires (retailer), Mondelēz International, Nestlé, and Unilever, stressed that the revision of the animal welfare legislation, currently under progress, is the ideal opportunity to end the use of cages in animal farming across the EU.
The signatories also stated that are ready and willing to share their expertise and collaborate on achieving the goal of a cage-free system.
“The EU now needs to catch up and revise the legislation for farmed animals, Directive 98/58/EC, so that the cruel use of cages is brought to an end, for all farmed species.”
The letter, not only explains the benefits of a non-cage system but also supports the ‘End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) which calls for the end of cages in animal farming across the EU. Launched in 2018 in collaboration with 170 environmental, consumer rights and animal protection NGOs from across Europe, OIPA included, the ECI urges the EU to phase out the use of all cages in farming. A year later it closed having gained 1.4 million verified and becoming the first successful ECI on farmed animal welfare.
Read the letter here
Background info on EU laying hens
- Data on EU laying hens system: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/food-farming-fisheries/farming/documents/eggs-dashboard_en.pdf
- 2008: Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/2008 of 23 June 2008 laying down detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 as regards marketing standards for eggs (labelling)
- 2012: The EU Laying Hens Directive came into force, banning barren battery cages in the EU
• over 1000 businesses in EU -retailers, manufacturers, and food service providers – have already eliminated cages for hens or have pledged to do so by 2025 (https://chickenwatch.org/progress-tracker/?filterK=Cage-free
Food Companies on board
• ALDI Nord
• Barilla
• Fattoria Roberti
• Ferrero
• Inter IKEA Group
• Jamie Oliver Group
• Le Groupement Les Mousquetaires
• Mondelēz International
• Nestlé
• Unilever
