CHOICE MAGAZINE :

Do you pay extra for free-range eggs hoping the chooks that laid them have a better life? Or maybe there’s a chance that they’ll taste better or be more nutritious than cage eggs?

Tips for sustainable living

The cartons may have pictures of happy hens roaming in lush green paddocks but the reality of free-range eggs can be very different. The industry is dominated by three big producers (Novo, Pace Farm, Manning Valley) who account for well over half the free-range eggs sold in Australia. Their ‘free-range’ eggs are produced on a truly industrial scale and some come from flocks of up to 120,000 birds.

These hens may be housed in huge sheds, they may never find the door to go outside and their eggs come off conveyor belts.

CHOICE verdict

If you’re buying free-range eggs because you believe in animal welfare, the brands in the big supermarkets may not be meeting your expectations.

Barn-laid eggs (if they’re certified by the RSPCA) meet humane standards or you could buy certified organic eggs (check the labels) or go to smaller local shops or markets to find eggs with independent free-range certification.