Supermarket retailer Coles has reduced the shelf price of free range eggs by up to 18 per cent in an bid to encourage customers to move away from caged eggs.  It has also announced that it will phase out Coles Brand caged eggs by 2013.

Coles has said that the change was initiated as a result of customer feedback, indicating that 95 per cent of customers would switch to free range if the price were lower.

“Customers have clearly told us that they would prefer to buy free range rather than caged eggs but for many the higher price has been too big a barrier. We’ve listened to that feedback and invested in cutting the price of free range eggs so that more customers’ can now make the switch. Having made free range a more affordable option we will then go further and work with our suppliers to phase out Coles Brand caged eggs by 2013,” Coles Merchandise Director, John Durkan, said.

The move is part of a broader campaign for the supermarket chain to source ethically produced foods. Earlier this year, Coles announced that it would only accept sow stall free pork and hormone free beef from its Australian suppliers.

Animal welfare advocacy group Animals Australia has welcomed the decision.

“This announcement is another indication that Coles is acknowledging that consumers do not accept the cruelty that is routinely inflicted on animals in factory farms. Coles has recently shown important ethical leadership and we challenge other supermarkets to demonstrate that they too care about the welfare of animals,” Executive Director of Animals Australia Glenys Oogjes said.

Ms Oogjes said the timing of Coles’ announcement to phase out their home brand cage eggs was particularly pleasing, stating that State and Commonwealth Governments had reneged on their commitment to this year review the national ‘Code of Practice’ for poultry, which still permits the confinement of hens in cages.

“Australia is already trailing more than a decade behind EU developments where a decision was made in 1999 based on comprehensive scientific evidence to ban battery cages by 2012.  Australian governments have so far failed to act to ban this cruel cage system which sentences around 14 million hens to cruel confinement in cages with less space than an A4 sheet of paper — and no end to their suffering in sight.  It is therefore crucial that supermarkets and consumers instead use their purchasing power to rid this country of the archaic battery cage system,” Ms Oogjes said.

However, the egg industry has expressed its disappointment at Coles’ decision, saying that the retailer had entered  into the decision without consultation with the industry.

In a released statement, Australian Egg Corporation Managing Director James Kellaway said that Coles was stripping consumers of choice, and that cage systems offered welfare, food safety and environmental advantages not found in alternative systems.

“Australian egg farmers are passionate about producing accessible, sustainable and affordable food for Australian families and have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to ensure the welfare, health and safety of egg laying hens, across all recognised egg production systems,” Mr Kellaway said.

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EthicalLiving.com.au

4 Comments for Coles drops price of free range eggs to encourage ethical consumerism

Michelle

Coles’ free range eggs used to be (can’t say now) a lot dearer than the free range eggs at the independent delis and food stores right next door to Coles. I say it’s better to keep supporting the little guys who’ve led the way with affordable free range eggs.

EthicalLiving.com.au

I couldn’t agree more, Michelle. But since a lot of people do the majority of their shopping in supermarkets, at least its a step in the right direction.