Good Egg Award
Since 2007, the Good Egg Awards have celebrated companies who are using only cage-free eggs or egg products, or committing to do so by 2012.
BACKGROUND
It takes more than 6 billion hens to produce the eggs required for worldwide consumption. Eggs from laying hens are sold either in their shells or are used by restaurants and food manufacturers in a wide range of processed products from soups and sauces to ready meals, cakes, biscuits and desserts.
It is estimated that over 60% of the world’s eggs come from hens kept in industrialised systems, mostly using barren battery cages. In the UK there are around 39 million laying hens and just less than 50% of them are caged. In some EU countries and in the USA nearly all laying hens are caged. Hens start laying at around 18–20 weeks of age and in commercial systems typically lay 300 eggs for around a year before being sent for slaughter; most of their life is therefore spent in confinement.
The awards programme works by recognising and rewarding producers, manufacturers, food service, retailers and public bodies for working in a sustainable and responsible way. We build upon what we have learnt from developing voluntary standards with some of the leading food companies in the world and helping them to be leaders of the growing movement for sustainable and ethical food.