Free range outsell battery eggs for the first time

No points for guessing this headline didn't come out of the US. Not even the People's Republic of Berkeley. It's the British of course. But do they really get 'free-range?' Not clear, the numbers appear to be based on battery vs. non-battery rather than free-range vs. not free range and includes 'barn' and 'roaming' hens. But I still maintain (see previous post) that any signals by consumers which are significant enough to change production in favor of animal welfare are better than none.

Sales of free range, barn and organic eggs from chickens allowed to roam outdoors accounted for just over 50 per cent of total sales last year - a huge turnaround from five years previously.

It is one of the most startling illustrations of how the trend towards buying "ethical" food is bringing huge changes to the food industry. Sainsbury's announced this year that it planned to phase out battery eggs by 2012.