The UK government has officially opened an eight-week public consultation proposing to phase out the use of enriched colony cages for laying hens, pullets and breeder layers, with a complete ban on existing systems by 2032. Under the plans, new enriched cages could not be installed after 2027 and remaining cages would be phased out under amendments to existing welfare laws. The consultation seeks stakeholder views on animal welfare impacts and effects on the poultry sector.
Defra said the proposals aim to improve the welfare of hens by restricting systems that prevent birds from carrying out natural behaviours.
However, the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC), has expressed serious concerns about the government’s timetable and approach.
In a statement reacting to the consultation launch, BEIC chief executive Nick Allen warned that the plan to ban enriched cages within six years “is likely to deliver little meaningful benefit for hens while undermining UK egg farmers and distorting the market.” He criticised the absence of clear commitments on imports, saying the Government “has not committed to equivalent bans on imported shell eggs, egg products and finished goods containing egg.” Without such measures, he argued, “UK farming [is] exposed to unfair competition from imports and risks moving food production overseas.”
Allen urged ministers to adopt stronger fair-trade safeguards: “If it wishes to ban enriched cages, [the Government must] make a clear and unequivocal commitment to fair trade and support UK farmers. Products that would be illegal to produce in the UK must be illegal to import and sell here.”
The BEIC also highlighted concerns about transparency for consumers, pointing to gaps in how production systems are labelled outside of shell eggs. “UK consumers can already make informed purchasing decisions, with egg production systems clearly marked,” Allen said, but “the real transparency gap lies in egg products and the food service sector where the origin and production type are often hidden from view.”
Industry research, he added, shows consumers feel misled when imported eggs are used in products such as quiches and sandwiches, a problem that risks worsening under the new proposals.
Allen warned that regulating production instead of relying on consumer choice could push up prices: “Sections of society may be forced to pay more for eggs or, in some cases, remove them from their shopping baskets altogether.” He emphasised eggs’ role as an “affordable, highly nutritious, and natural food” and debunked the notion that welfare reform should come at the cost of access or affordability.
The BEIC said it will “try to work constructively with Government to achieve the best possible outcome – one that protects the welfare of hens while ensuring UK consumers continue to have access to high-quality British eggs at a price they can afford.” However, Allen concluded, “the answer is not banning enriched cages.”
Animal welfare groups have broadly welcomed Defra’s proposals as a step toward higher welfare standards, inviting public responses to the consultation. Consumer and industry feedback over the coming weeks is expected to influence the next stage of policy design.
The consultation closes on 9 March 2026, with Defra urging producers, stakeholders and members of the public to submit evidence and views before that date.