Two more supermarkets have pledged to stop sourcing eggs from caged hens by 2025. On Friday, Asda and Lidl announced that they will phase out cage eggs within the next nine years, echoing commitments announced in recent weeks from Tesco, Morrisons and French catering giant Sodexo.

Asda has come under particular pressure, since its US parent company Walmart made the pledge for its North American stores.   
 
On Friday, Ryan McDonnell, commercial director at Lidl UK commented, “As a responsible retailer, we are committed to ensuring that the highest standards are met and maintained across our supply chain. Our pledge to work closely with our UK suppliers to phase out the sale of shell eggs from caged hens also underlines our understanding of our customers’ changing expectations, as shoppers increasingly search for responsibly sourced high quality British produce at the best price.”
 
Reacting to the retailers’ animal welfare commitments earlier in the week, the NFU said supermarkets must give their egg suppliers more clarity on timelines and – importantly - what will replace current production systems. Tesco said in its announcement that eggs from barn systems or free range will replace its caged eggs. NFU said the decision on the part of retailers “Will force the egg industry into its biggest change since the introduction of the enriched cage system in 2012; a move which then cost farmers in excess of £400m.”

However, The Co-operative stopped selling caged eggs in 2008, Sainsbury’s stopped selling them in 2009, and stopped using them as ingredients in its products in 2012 (Lidl’s pledge only covers shell eggs on sale in its stores).

In a statement announcing the switch, Lidl said it will work closely with all its egg suppliers to ensure that its pledge will have no detrimental effect on their businesses, noting that the supermarket already supported British egg producers to make a significant investment to transition to enriched caged systems in 2012.

15-million birds are housed in cages in the UK, supplying an estimated 40% of eggs sold in supermarkets.

Commenting on the announcements, Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming, which has been campaigning on caged eggs with partners in the United States, said, "Today marks a truly momentous moment for egg laying hens. Asda and Lidl have joined the Cage Free retailers. We have been working alongside Asda and Lidl; advising on the benefits of going cage free on their whole shell egg supplies.

"These announcements are further proof that we are moving ever closer to a cage free future for egg laying hens. I am delighted to say, that a cage free day is dawning."