What does “free range” mean in eggs?
People buy certain brands of eggs for a variety of reasons, including price, brand loyalty, taste, quality, and ethics.
Many people who buy eggs labelled as “free range” believe the hens laying them enjoy a better standard of life, and trust the label without question.
However, in some situations, these labels may be misleading. Terms like “free range” and “free to roam” do not necessarily provide assurance of good animal welfare.
There is currently no standard government definition of what “free range” means in regards to egg production in layer hens. The labelling requirements within the Food Standards Code (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) do not take into account the type of production system where eggs are laid.
Within the Code of Welfare for Layer Hens (2018) set by the Government, a “free range” layer production setting is described as a “barn with access to the outdoors." There are a number of Minimum Standards within the Code of Welfare relating to the care of layer hens, and what is required to meet hens' physical, health and behavioural needs. However, simply providing access to an outdoor area does not necessarily mean that the hens have the opportunity to use the range well, or to go outside as often as they should. Whether hens range outside depends on a number of factors including the availability and type of shelter outside, a hen’s own innate fear of overhead predators like hawks (this is where overhead shelter is effective), availability of attractive pop-holes that provide access to outdoor areas, as well as seasonal weather conditions and other factors. A farm’s products being labelled as “free range” does not necessarily guarantee that their hens have had adequate and well-encouraged access to the above resources; often, it means farms have only met the bare minimum standards.
That’s why, when you’re shopping for eggs, it’s important to look for an independent trusted third-party certification on product labels, such as the SPCA Certified blue badge. This assures that your eggs have come from a farm where true “free range” access has been given.
Farmers and producers can be independently audited through certification schemes like SPCA Certified. Certification schemes will have their own standards to which farms are audited. Auditing may also be independent, announced and unannounced, depending on requirements of the scheme. Standards can and may differ between certification schemes; for example, the size of the outdoor range required, and the amount of time hens are given access to the range, may differ.
The blue SPCA Certified badge tells the consumer that the farms have been independently audited, and meet SPCA Certified standards for free range and barn layer hens. All SPCA Certified-branded eggs come from barn and free range farms that are approved and independently audited according to SPCA Certified animal welfare standards. By buying eggs from Certified farmers, you can ensure that they come from farms that follow best practice guidelines and standards, and that care about the welfare of their hens. Explore SPCA Certified products and businesses here.