Nestlé to complete transition to cage-free egg supply chain in Africa by 2025

Photo: HSI (Image Supplied)

The company had previously committed to completing its transition to a cage-free supply chain in the US by 2020, and in Canada by 2025.

According to Nestlé, all eggs it sources must be from hens raised without the use of cages, helping accelerate the egg industry’s move away from the caged confinement of laying hens.

An important benchmark in the global move towards cage-free eggs

Elissa Lane, deputy director of Humane Society International Farm Animals, stated: “Nestlé's announcement that it will transition to a cage-free egg supply chain in Latin America, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa by 2025 is an important benchmark in the global move towards cage-free eggs. While the company also signalled that Asia would be included in this move ‘if conditions allow,’ we urge the company to commit to and meet the 2025 deadline for its supply chain in that region, as well."

"Humane Society International is proud to support Nestlé on the implementation of this policy around the globe. With the world’s largest food companies improving animal welfare in their supply chains by eliminating eggs from hens confined in battery cages, Nestlé’s policy sends another clear message to the egg industry that the future of egg production is cage-free.”

Worldwide, the majority of egg-laying hens are confined in wire battery cages. The cages are so small that the hens can barely move or stretch their wings. Each battery cage confines five to 10 egg-laying hens and each animal has less space than an A4 sized piece of paper on which to spend her whole life.