The Compassion in World Farming ‘Good Egg Awards’ have been handed out this year, with 95 European companies receiving awards for ditching the battery cage egg in favour of eggs from organic, free-range or barn kept hens. The celebrations, held at the Eiffel Tower and Houses of Parliament, also saw 22 local councils win awards for committing to use only free-range eggs in their schools and care homes.
The Good Egg Awards are now in their third year, celebrating the 20 million hens who will now live cage free every year as a direct result of the organisation’s policies. Recognised British actress Penelope Keith, patron for Compassion in World Farming, presented the awards to the staff catering at the BBC and Channel 4, alongside Debenhams and John Lewis shopper cafes, as well as Little Chef and Fox’s Biscuits.
Penelope said –
I congratulate all the companies that are going cage-free on their eggs and hope consumers will, too. A cage-free egg costs just a couple of pennies more and it saves hens a life of misery.
More than 75% of the 300 million egg laying hens in the EU are confined to the battery cage system, where they will spend their lives crammed in a small wire cage with several other hens. Due to these extreme conditions, a battery hen cannot carry out even the simplest of natural behaviours, causing physical and psychological stress.
A ban on this cruel practice is due to be brought into force within the EU by January 2012, yet some countries still want to delay this by up to ten years as they believe it will be economically damaging. Many EU countries, including the UK, have already demonstrated their willingness to pay more for free-range eggs, while the majority of European Union citizens understand the welfare of farmed animals should be protected.
The Compassion in World Farming’s ‘Good Egg Awards’ is a yearly event that highlights the companies that lead the way into a brighter future for farm animals all over the world. Hopefully other businesses will take notice and join the ‘Good Egg’ revolution.
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