Tesco is to stop sourcing eggs from caged hens by 2025, a decision taken after a “detailed review” of the group’s egg sourcing strategy, which included consultation with suppliers, industry experts and other key stakeholders.
The move, announced today, is described by Tesco as its latest initiative to ensure the supermarket sources products in a sustainable way.
“Working with supplier partners, Tesco will transition to 100% cage-free eggs, moving to alternative sourcing methods, such as barns, free range and organic,” said the retailer.
“At present, some 43% of the 1.4 billion eggs sold by Tesco each year come from caged eggs, also known as enriched colonies. Some 57% of eggs sold by Tesco in the UK come from free range or organic methods.”
Tesco’s commercial director for fresh food, Matt Simister, added: “We carried out an extensive and collaborative review with our suppliers and key industry experts to help us work through how best we can move to 100% cage-free eggs.
“This will ensure we give our supplier partners the certainty they require, to make the significant and necessary investments needed for the new farming systems.”
The announcement was accompanied by a supportive comment from Noble Foods Ltd, Tesco’s largest supplier of eggs, whose managing director, Veli Moluluo, said: “We have already started investigating new methods of egg production, and the commitment from Tesco to move away from enriched colony production in a manageable timeframe gives us the confidence and ability to invest for the long term”.
