Sainsbury's

571 million eggs per year
2.1 million hens benefited per year

Sainsbury’s, the UK's third biggest retailer, got its Good Egg Award for being the first of the big four UK retailers to commit to only selling cage-free eggs in store by 2012. Not only that, it’s the only UK retailer to make a big deal out of giving hens tree cover.

Last year Sainsbury's sold almost 580 million eggs and its move represents a sea change in the UK retail industry away from caged eggs.

Sainsbury's currently uses only free-range eggs in all of its Taste the Difference lines and in May 2005 it moved 2.4 million eggs a week from caged to barn systems. It has also planted one million trees in the last year to support a move to Woodland Organic Eggs giving approximately 1.9 million chickens a natural environment in which to be reared.

One of it’s Corporate Social Responsibility principles is to ‘source with integrity’ and we believe its commitment to going cage-free on all shell eggs in-store before 2012, reflects the seriousness with which its approaching this area of work.

CIWF advocates that the best free-range systems for laying hens provide tree cover. This is because hens originate from jungle fowl and still, to this day, fear aerial predators. Tree cover and vegetation encourages them to range outside without feeling afraid.

Sue Henderson, Sainsbury's Integrity Manager : ‘The addition of trees on the range simply helps to create an environment where the hens feel more secure. Our Woodland hens spend far more time outside, venture further from their barns and in greater numbers. Not only is this good news as far as consumer perception of free-range is concerned, but more importantly it has improved the welfare of our hens.’

Find out more about Woodland Eggs by visiting this website http://www.woodlandeggs.co.uk/

Alternatively, you can find out more about Sainsbury’s and animal welfare in general on their corporate website http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/

Sainsbury's Trading Director, Mike Coupe, said: 'I am delighted to confirm that Sainsbury's are firmly committed to phasing out all caged shell eggs prior to the EU legislative deadline of 2012, and as such we are working closely with our suppliers to achieve a sustainable non-cage supply base for the future.'

‘Sainsbury’s is committed to the health and welfare of the animals reared to produce our food and drink. 

‘As a retailer with 16 million customers a week, making scale changes in how our eggs are produced by the many farmers involved requires considerable forward planning.  One such initiative was the roll out of Woodland eggs, with its innovative welfare standards, involving the planting of over 1 million trees; and we are now actively working with our suppliers to achieve a sustainable non-caged supply base for the future.’

‘We are therefore delighted to receive this Good Egg Award which recognises the progress that we are making on this significant journey regarding the eggs we sell.’