Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to introduce a ban on the retail sale of eggs and egg products from caged hens; and, if not, whether they plan to establish a consultation on the issue.

The transition to non-cage egg production has been accelerated in recent years by the major supermarkets pledging to stop selling shell eggs from hens kept in colony cages by 2025, and some supermarkets have extended this to products containing liquid or powdered eggs.

We remain firmly committed to maintaining and improving animal welfare and want to work closely with the farming sector to deliver high standards. The use of cages for laying hens is an issue which we are currently considering very carefully.