Mrs

[jennym]

Hi all,

 

While on the surface it seems wonderful that UK hens will no longer live in the battery cages, I'm thinking that this might just drive food manufacturers to purchase more eggs from outside the UK, from countries where animal welfare may be much worse (maybe worse than the UK battery cages ). My understanding is that many of the UK battery-cage eggs were used for this purpose as UK consumers moved away from buying them in preference of eggs from higher welfare systems (can't give a reference here, it's just something that people tend to say).

 

I have not been as careful in the past as I feel I should have been in buying manufactured foods with eggs as an ingredient, and I'm thinking that this may be a good time to start thinking a bit more carefully about this.

 

Any thoughts on this? Do the rest of you have the same worries?

 

I'm wondering if I could be reasonably sure that I'm not paying for imported eggs if I stick to buying own-brand manufactured foods from places with a welfare policy in place (e.g. I think Waitrose does). Do you know of any other brands (supermarkets or food manufacturers) that have some sort of laying-hen welfare policy in place?

 

Having said all this we do cook for ourselves most of the time (with backyard eggs ) so use limited amounts of manufactured food, but I'd just like to be aware of what I'm buying.

 

Lots of questions - sorry!

 

Jen x

[Leicester_H]

Yes - I have the same concerns.

I don't buy much prepared food but when I look at the ingredients, I dread seeing egg as I always assume if it doesn't say FR then it won't be. Its quite amazing what products conatin egg (or egg white) in some form - even if its just a glaze over pastry.

Also, makes eating out quite difficult.

 

If only British consumers could get behind the idea of higher welfare chickens & eggs (and take care to buy british), British farmers could get a reasonable price and we'd be happy and the chickens would be happier.

 

Here's hoping, H

[Miss Millies Chicken]

The local news interviewed a farmer in the South West who had changed over to the welfare enhanced cages. He said that there are countries within the EU who haven't upgraded there poultry units and it was left up to the individual countries to enforce the law. His concern was that dried powdered eggs which is used in the baking trade etc will be legally imported from these countries. The price of this egg product will be cheaper and producers in this country are worried that it will force them out of business

[Sammiboo]

This concerns me also, I am going to be extra vigilant and pester staff if not clearly labelled. I don't tend to buy premade meals anyway.