Businesses driving cage-free Europe but need EU ban

A new report we released today (10 Sep) shows that major European food companies are leading the way towards cage-free farming in Europe but need the EU to deliver its promised ban on cages animal farming.

Our Food Businesses paving the way for a cage-free report, produced by our Food Business team, highlights case studies showing how leading companies such as Barilla, Carrefour, and Kaufland are successfully phasing out the use of cages in their supply chains.

It shows that cage-free farming is not only possible, but already underway. These companies now need the EU to support the transition by creating a level playing field and ensuring fair market competition by delivering on its 2021 commitment to ban cages across the EU.

EU must deliver on promise to ban cages

In response to the successful End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative, signed by over 1.4 million EU citizens, the EU Commission made a clear commitment to present a proposal to end caged farming by the end of 2023. While the last Commission failed to keep its promises and present these proposals, the consensus achieved in the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture is encouraging. We now urge the new Commission to adopt the recommendations and deliver the cage ban proposal by 2026 at the latest.

An overwhelming nine out ten EU citizens (89%) believe animals should not be farmed in individual cages and there is abundant scientific confirming cages are severely detrimental to animal welfare. This includes the latest European Food Safety Authority Scientific Opinions recommending that cages should no longer be used for laying hens, breeding sows, quail and ducks. Yet, around 300 million animals farmed across the EU still suffer in cages every year.

Consumers demand higher-welfare products

With consumers increasingly opting for higher-welfare, cage-free products, several food businesses have voluntarily decided to phase out cages to respond to this demand. This resulted in over 1,400 commitments made by food companies across Europe for cage-free laying hens alone, including household names such as KFC, Subway, Nestle and Unilever.

Pasta and baked goods company, Barilla Group – which operates across over 100 countries – is one of the food businesses featured in the report, sharing its transition to using cage-free egg products in its supply chain.

Leonardo Mirone, ESG Leader Sourcing Chains at Barilla Group, said: “Barilla endeavours to ensure that all suppliers of raw materials of animal origin comply not just with legal requirements but also with the highest animal welfare standards and criteria and we proudly achieved our global cage-free goal in 2019.... A crucial step forward in supporting and advancing sector-wide transformation would be the introduction of legislation by the European Commission to enforce a ban on cages.”

BreFood, a wholesaler supplying cage-free rabbit meat to renowned retailers across Germany, has also been recognised as an animal welfare leader in the report, having put rabbit welfare at the centre of its business mode for over a decade.

Ricarda-Maria Heidmeyer, BreFood General Manager, said: “We fully support the call for a legislative ban on cages in Europe, which is urgently needed to create a level playing field and to raise the bar for rabbit welfare.”

Dr Tracey Jones, our Global Director of Food Business, said: “Scientists are backing the call to end caged systems. European Citizens are calling for change. Businesses are demonstrating that successful cage-free farming is not only possible at scale but is also the right thing to do – for the businesses, their customers and the animals in their supply.

“With the writing on the wall for cages, producers are keenly waiting for direction on timescales, minimum system requirements and how their transition to a cage-free future will be supported. We urge the new College of Commissioners to table the promised legislative proposals to phase out cages as one of its first priorities and ultimately consign cages to the history books for good.”

Visit www.endthecageage.eu to find out how you can help End the Cage Age.