Compass Group, the world’s leading food service company with operations in 50 countries, announced on Thursday that it will source only cage-free eggs for its global liquid and shell egg supply chain by 2025. The group’s announcement follows similar commitments by catering giant Sodexo, the world’s largest supermarket chain Walmart and, later, its UK subsidiary ASDA, as well as a number of other UK supermarkets including Tesco, Lidl and Morrisons.

In the UK, Compass Group serves one million meals and three million customers every day in hospitals, schools, workplaces, restaurants and sports and leisure venues.

The announcement has been welcomed by animal welfare campaigners, who have been in talks with supermarkets and large catering companies, encouraging the food giants to make welfare commitments. On Thursday, Claire Bass, Executive Director of HSI UK, which has been in discussion with Compass, said, “Compass Group’s commitment to a cage-free policy for its global supply chain will improve the lives of millions of hens each year.  It is clear that the cage-free is the future of the egg industry across the world, and we look forward to working with more companies on such far-reaching policies.”

In the company’s statement, Nicki Crayfourd, Director of Group Health, Safety and Environment at Compass Group PLC, commented, “Improving the welfare of farm animals is a key focus for our business and we've supported the sourcing of cage free eggs since 2009. This commitment marks the next step in our journey and we look forward to continuing to work with partners such as Compassion in World Farming, Humane Society International and The Humane League who provide invaluable support and guidance.”

Farm groups have called on the big food companies to be clear with their suppliers about their expectations, and help them through any transitional period. Welfare campaigners have said that the move to better welfare systems for laying hens worldwide gathering pace, with battery cage bans in force in a number of US states, New Zealand, Bhutan and India (the world’s third largest egg producer) having announced that battery production violates its welfare policies and currently debating a ban.

Major food companies that have already committed to cage-free egg policies worldwide include Alsea, Unilever, Grupo Bimbo and Nestlé. According to welfare campaigners at HSI, over fifty per cent of the UK retail sector has already switched to 100 per cent free range eggs. However around 44% of the eggs produced in the UK are still produced in 'enriched' battery cages.