Iceland trialling barn eggs amid outcry over dropped chicken welfare commitment

Iceland Foods is to introduce a new range of barn eggs to its stores, amid criticism from animal welfare groups over its egg sourcing commitments.

The retailer has been the target of sustained protests from the animal charity the Humane League, after it dropped a 2016 commitment to stop sourcing shell eggs from caged hens by the end of 2025. Executive chairman Richard Walker has defended the move, saying the supermarket was prioritising customer choice because it was “not feasible” to meet the commitment during the cost of living crisis.

From 3 July, Iceland will trial a range of branded RSPCA Assured barn eggs in 35 of its London stores to give customers choice, while testing the appetite for a higher-welfare line of eggs compared with caged, The Grocer understands.

The new 10-pack branded line – which is sourced from existing Northern Irish supplier Ballygarvey – will sit alongside Iceland’s own label enriched cage eggs, and its higher-welfare free-range eggs.

“I’m aware we’ve faced some criticism from animal welfare groups about continuing to offer eggs from enriched cages beyond this year,” Stuart Lendrum, Iceland director of product, process and sustainability told The Grocer.

“We understand that but the reality is that we’ve been honest and made no apologies for prioritising supporting families being able to put essentials on the table during the cost of living crisis.”

In 2024, 79% of eggs sold in the UK came from cage-free birds, according to the British Egg Industry Council, with the vast majority (74%) free-range. 

“We are small part of the egg market and committed to giving customers a choice – this new RSPCA Assured barn egg pilot widens the range of welfare options available and all at a fair price,” he added. 

Lendrum said he hoped the trial proved “popular” with customers, in which case Iceland would roll the barn egg range into more stores.

Read more: Most Pancake Day egg buyers would leave a shop to find cage-free eggs

The Humane League has stepped up its protests against Iceland over recent weeks. In April, activists picketed an Iceland store in Waterloo. Last week a van bearing an image of a smiling Walker alongside the question “Why won’t Iceland stop using eggs from caged hens?” was driven around its Deeside HQ.

By dropping it’s commitment, Iceland lagged behind the majority of its competitors on animal welfare, the charity claimed, with other UK supermarkets having already stopped selling eggs sourced from caged hens or have commitments to do so by the end of the year.

This week, NGO Compassion In World Farming entered the fray, publishing an open letter addressed to Walker, calling for Iceland to “step up” and reinstate the original 2025 commitment, the dropping of which it claimed was a “broken promise” to consumers. The Humane League, Open Cages and The RSPCA also signed the letter.

“Once a cage-free commitment is made, it must be honoured with meaningful action,” said Philip Lymbery, Compassion in World Farming CEO.

“After nearly a decade to act there’s simply no excuse for delay. It’s shameful that Iceland is prioritising profit over moral ethics. Everyone deserves access to higher welfare food, regardless of their income.”

By dropping it’s commitment, Iceland lagged behind the majority of its competitors on animal welfare, the letter claimed, who have either already stopped selling eggs sourced from caged hens or have commitments to do so by the end of the year.