More companies are making commitments to source cage-free eggs in global supply chains, according to the sixth annual EggTrack report by Compassion in World Farming. In the past year, more companies including Pizza Express and Yum! Brands have committed to sourcing eggs from cage-free systems.
There are 232 companies monitored in EggTrack of which 103 operate globally, 52 operate only in North America or the US, 76 operate in Europe (including the UK), and for the first time, EggTrack has a dedicated section for the Asia-Pacific region which includes two companies that operate there exclusively.
Of the 232 companies, 175 (75.4%) report progress against commitments previously made, an increase from 71% in 2021, with an average 79.1% transition to cage-free. Of the companies that reported global progress, their cage-free sourcing increased from 55.2% in 2021 to 63.1% in 2022.
One company that has moved all its products over to using only 100% cage-free eggs, and which provides this year’s foreword for the EggTrack Report, is Danone.
“When we took our commitment to cage-free eggs and egg ingredients in 2018, we knew it wouldn’t happen overnight and that we would need to work closely with our suppliers,” said Cees Jan Hollander, global farming expertise manager at Danone. “But we persisted and reached our target of 100% cage-free eggs and egg ingredients in 2020.”
Market data shows that the EU cage-free flock has continued to grow from 52% in 2021 to 55% in 2022.
In the UK 64.6% of eggs are now cage-free and the decline in caged eggs produced in the UK (down to 35% share of production) is accompanied by a concurrent increase in free-range (up to 59% of production) and, to a lesser extent, organic production (4%). Barn production remains unchanged at 2%.
Despite difficult economic times, companies are still forging ahead with their cage-free commitments which should be applauded. It’s fantastic to see an increase in global commitments from leading companies who are showing a reasonable transition to cage free,” said Dr Tracey Jones, global director for food business at CIWF. “Cage-free production is a smart investment, as increasing consumer and corporate demand will only accelerate this global trend.”