Label Mouse says:
For eggs, minimum free-range standards mean many hens are kept in vast, multi-tiered sheds typically with 16,000 or more other birds, and few ever see daylight. Animals may still be routinely fed GM foods or antibiotics.
EU regulation stipulates that for eggs to be termed 'free range', hens must have continuous daytime access to runs which are mainly covered with vegetation with a maximum stocking density of 9 hens per square metre of useable area. However the these regulations are not enforced or monitored in the UK. Products labeled only as 'Free Range' in the UK don't really mean anything.
To ensure higher animal welfare standards it is best to pick organic produce. While all organic food meets free range requirements (and beyond), free range produce doesn't have to be organic.
They promise:
The promise of Free Range is really all in the consumers head. Free range does not guarantee open space with prancing lambs and clucking chickens in the way we might imagine.
There are a lot of food labels out there, but its pretty unclear what they mean.
With the UK leaving the EU we're able to define our own regulations on how our food is produced, the impact on the environment and how the animals involved are cared for. This could be a good or a bad thing. The extra player in the mix is that brands are introducing their own schemes which can appear more eco-friendly than they actually are.
Label Mouse does the research to help you make more informed buying choices. Hope it's useful.
Suggestions and support welcome!
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