The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has raised concerns about the potential unintended consequences of a proposed UK-wide ban on cages for laying hens, pullets and breeder layers, following the launch of a government consultation.
The consultation opened on 12 January 2026 and seeks views on banning all caged systems, including enriched colony cages and combi or convertible systems. The proposals would apply to all poultry producers, including those with fewer than 350 birds, and the consultation will close on 9 March 2026.
Under the plans, a phased approach would be introduced. From 1 January 2027, the installation of any new enriched colony cages or other caged systems for laying hens, pullets and breeder layers would be prohibited. From the same date, the use of any remaining conventional battery cages on sites with fewer than 350 hens would also be banned. Existing colony cage producers would then have a six-year transition period to move to a cage-free system or cease production by 1 January 2032.
Responding to the launch of the consultation, NFU Poultry Board Chair Will Raw said the organisation was concerned about the impact of an outright ban on current production systems.
“We have concerns about the unintended consequences of the outright banning of production systems like enriched colony cages which currently provide an affordable and nutritious source of protein to a growing population,” he said.
“Colony cage eggs positively contribute to wider food security and environmental goals, which sadly do not appear to have been acknowledged sufficiently by the government.”
Raw added that production method alone was not necessarily an indicator of animal welfare and warned that a ban could lead to an increase in imports.
“A ban on colony cages for laying hens would simply increase the imports of eggs, some of which are produced to standards already illegal here, such as eggs produced by hens kept in old-style battery cages which remain in use in some countries outside the UK,” he said.
He also highlighted wider challenges facing the sector, including planning restrictions. “There are also significant barriers that need to be unlocked by the government in tandem with the animal welfare strategy, such as the planning system which is currently prohibitive to sector growth – growth that is imperative to meeting increasing consumer demand for British eggs,” he said.
The NFU said it believes enriched colony cages have an important role in producing eggs at an affordable price, particularly during a cost of living crisis. The union maintains that all four methods of egg production currently used in the UK should continue to be supported as sustainable farming practices that maintain high welfare standards.
The NFU also warned that colony cage eggs are widely used in the processed egg and egg product sector, where price is a significant factor for consumers, and that banning the system could increase imports produced to lower welfare, environmental and food safety standards.
The organisation is gathering views from its members to inform its response to the consultation and has asked them to complete an online form by 15 February 2026. Producers and other stakeholders can also respond directly to the government consultation via gov.uk