TESCO has said it will move to 100% cage-free for its ingredient eggs by 2025.
In 2016 the supermarket committed to selling only cage-free fresh eggs in stores by 2025 and has since been developing a supply chain for barn, to replace colony as an entry-level category.
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At the time, the supermarket said 43% of the eggs it sold each year came from colony farm systems. That compares with just 18% in Tesco’s 2019/20 year.
Now, in an update to the supermarket’s animal welfare policy, it has said it would also move to 100% cage-free in ingredient eggs by 2025.
They will be from barn, free-range and organic systems.
The new policy document does not explicitly commit to sourcing these eggs from British farms.
Ingredient eggs
The update says: “Our entry-tier eggs are laid by hens in an enriched-colony system which meets British Lion welfare standards and our Tesco Livestock Code of Practice which is independently audited.
“This includes strict measures on traceability, welfare, feed, temperature, and hygiene.
“We have committed to stop sourcing shell eggs from these systems by 2025. A total of 82% of the shell eggs we sold during the 2019/20 Tesco year came from non-cage production.
“In addition to this previous commitment and working with our supplier partners, we will also transition to 100% cage-free in our ingredient eggs, moving to alternative production methods, such as barn, free-range and organic by 2025.”
