Today I am the bearer of sad and shocking news. Early this morning it was revealed that around 30 egg producers in the UK are still using illegal barren battery cages. According to figures issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), these cages could contain as many as 300,000 hens.

This appalling news comes despite the regular and repeated assurances from the British egg industry that UK farmers would indeed be fully compliant with the ban on these cages when it came into force on 1st January this year.

Urge Defra to take immediate action now

Egg producers in the UK have had since 1999 to prepare for compliance with the ban. The fact that some are still not ready after all this time is disgraceful.

We are now asking Defra, who oversee farm animal welfare in the UK, to take urgent action.

Please join with us now in calling on Defra to impose hefty fines on all farmers still using illegal cages and to take effective steps to ensure immediate and full compliance with the ban across the UK.

Defend the Big Move