Supermarket organic eggs and the Soil Association

Mojisola

Caterina wrote: »

In case anyone is interested, there is an organisation, Hen Nation, that sells eggs through a national veg box scheme (Farmaround) and their eggs are from hens allowed to live their natural lifespan in comfort and die of old age. The regular commercial layers are sent to slaughter at a relatively young age because past a certain age they're no longer commercially viable (eg don't produce enough eggs for profit).

If more consumers would be willing to pay £2.65 for 6 eggs, the commercial egg producers could keep the hens for longer.

maisie_cat

Mojisola wrote: »

If more consumers would be willing to pay £2.65 for 6 eggs, the commercial egg producers could keep the hens for longer.

Yes, like most animal products, we have a choice of cheap with low welfare standards or pay a true cost based price with higher standards. There are some interesting videos on youtube discussing the costs of raising animals & animals products for food, enlightening to say the least

Caterina

Mojisola wrote: »

If more consumers would be willing to pay £2.65 for 6 eggs, the commercial egg producers could keep the hens for longer.

But I doubt that they would. Because commercial farmers consider livestock just as the word says, "stock", goods. That sort of farming is totally profit-led.

I get it that a lot of people cannot afford this but at least someone is doing something for the welfare of hens, a rare thing. Personally I'm moving towards a 100% plant based diet but while I transition these are the only eggs I'll eat. And honey from people I know, who treat the bees well, leave them enough honey to overwinter well and especially don't kill them to replace them year after year like some commercial honey producers do (because it's cheaper than keeping unproductive bees alive over winter).

Not everybody can afford to make animal welfare a priority when shopping for food, and I feel fortunate I can do it. The more people do it, the more common (hence more affordable) it will become.