Aldi caged eggs to be phased out as supermarket bows to customer pressure

ALDI has backed down in a massive win for consumers, who were bombarding the supermarket giant with complaints about its eggs.

SUPERMARKET giant Aldi will phase out caged eggs by 2025 in a massive win for consumers.

Aldi today revealed it had listened to its customers who have long been calling for the retailer to stop selling eggs produced from caged hens.

In a statement Aldi said it had a strong obligation to its customers, suppliers and the wider community to deliver great value products responsibly.

The retailer sells cage eggs along with barn and free-range varieties.

Currently, more than half of those eggs come from caged hens and Aldi said it wanted to ensure “the complexity of transitioning to cage-free eggs is managed effectively.”

“Aldi believes the best outcome will be achieved for everyone when the transition is done cooperatively and collaboratively with the industry, customers and other relevant parties,” the statement read.

Aldi said it was vital it worked with suppliers to ensure a transition was done sustainably and that such a goal was achievable by 2025.

The announcement follows a huge customer campaign against the retailer in the push to bring an end to the sale of eggs produced from caged hens.

Last month Aldi became the target of a social media campaign over its continued sale of caged eggs.

One Aldi customer gives his reaction when he sees where caged eggs come from. Picture: Animals Australia.

Customers bombarded the retailer’s Facebook page, demanding an end to the practice and calling for caged eggs to be withdrawn from sale with several posts hijacked about the issue.

Animals Australia was also pushing for the retailer to join rivals, including Woolworths, in committing to or phasing out the sale of caged eggs altogether.

Coles have removed cage eggs from their Coles-branded eggs and reduced the price of free range eggs as well as increasing shelf space for cage-free eggs.

In a video posted on the animal rights group’s Facebook page last month, Aldi customers were shown footage of the conditions caged eggs live under.

Their reactions were then filmed.

Victorian schoolgirl Angelina Popovski also launched a petition on Change.org an to encourage Aldi to stop stocking cage eggs.

Animals Australia applauded Aldi on their move to phase out eggs produced from caged hens. Picture: Animals Australia.

The campaign culminated in Animals Australia ads being placed in Aldi carparks two weeks ago.

Animals Australia spokeswoman Lisa Chalk said Aldi’s announcement was exciting news for the country’s third largest supermarket chain.

Ms Chalk said Aldi have listened to their customers and acknowledged community concern about animal welfare by joining other leading retailers in taking a stand against the battery cage.

“This is a win for the 100,000 people who supported Animals Australia’s campaign, it’s a win for Aldi’s customers who’ve been heard, it’s a win for everyone who cares about animals, but ultimately, Aldi’s decision is a win for hens,” she said.

“Caging hens for their entire lives for the sake of cheap eggs is cruel and immoral and that’s why we’re seeing more and more corporations the world over refusing to financially support the cage egg industry.”