Egg-citing news as Woolworths announces 100% cage-free commitment for on-shelf whole eggs

Woolworths are the first national retailer to have gone completely cage-free with their on-shelf eggs. Woolworths credit their team and supply partners, such as SPCA Certified member, Better Eggs, to being able to achieve this milestone - ahead of schedule.

Woolworths NZ Managing Director Sally Copland says Woolworths NZ’s commitment to animal welfare is a fundamental part of their commitment to the communities they operate within.

“We know our customers trust us to do the right thing and we are incredibly proud to be the first national retailer to have gone completely cage-free with our on-shelf eggs,” she said.

“We appreciate our customers' positive engagement and support throughout this journey which started eight years ago.”

Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Arnja Dale, noted the significance of the milestone from such a large retailer.

“Woolworths’ commitment to going cage-free is a significant step forward for animal welfare in New Zealand. It sets a strong precedent, and we encourage other retailers to follow suit, and hope Woolworths will continue their good work and commitment in using cage-free eggs in their own products.

“Every hen deserves the opportunity to express natural behaviours like dust bathing, wing flapping, stretching, and nesting properly — none of which are possible in cage systems. We hope this move inspires a broader shift across the retail sector to prioritise animal welfare and transparency for consumers,” Dr Dale says.

‘Cage-free’ is a broad term and includes barn and free range egg production systems. Colony eggs come from hens that live in colony cages, and SPCA considers colony cage systems inappropriate, as they are unable to provide for a hen’s full repertoire of behavioural and physical wants and needs.

All SPCA Certified branded eggs are cage-free and come from barn and free-range farms that are independently audited according to the SPCA Certified animal welfare standards for layer hens.