The British Veterinary Association (BVA), alongside the British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA), has renewed its call for a phase-out of all cage systems for laying hens, arguing that even enriched cages fall short of acceptable welfare standards.
The veterinary bodies say enriched colony cages still restrict natural behaviours such as wing-flapping, perching and dust-bathing, and that overall welfare is “significantly poorer” than in cage-free systems like barn and free-range. They are urging government to commit to a managed transition away from cages, with financial support for producers and safeguards on imports.
However, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has pushed back, warning that a ban without equivalent import standards could undermine UK producers and shift production overseas.
NFU Poultry Board Chair Will Raw said: “All current production systems in operation in the UK egg sector can deliver good welfare when properly managed and eggs produced in enriched colony cages provide an affordable and nutritious source of protein which is much needed for a growing population, especially in a cost-of-living crisis.”
Raw added that the union had already set out concerns in its submission to Defra’s consultation on ending cage use: “In our submission to the government’s recent consultation to end the use of enriched colony cages in the UK, we set out clearly why a ban would simply increase the number of eggs being imported – some of which are produced to standards already illegal here. The BVA rightly acknowledge the need for parity on import standards, without this the government is simply offshoring animal welfare.”
He also called for broader policy support: “The government needs to be focussing on support for British poultry producers by implementing a better functioning planning system, cutting red tape and facilitating investment in modern and efficient farming infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for British eggs.”