Battery-hen eggs off school menu

SCHOOLS in Oldham eat around 111,600 eggs a year and from now on they will all be cruelty free.

The council has banned the use of eggs from battery-farmed hens in all of the borough’s primary and special schools. Oldham’s secondary school meals are currently managed in-house or by an outside catering provider.

The switch to free-range eggs is part of the council’s commitment to animal welfare with other departments set to continue the good work.

Howard Sykes, council leader, said: “Some people might say ‘eggs is eggs’ but there are important issues at stake here.

“There’s a wealth of scientific research showing that battery cages cause immense suffering to hens and our move is also backed by public opinion polls and fast-growing sales of free-range eggs.

“I know from speaking to children and parents at local schools, and our excellent school catering team, that many people think animal welfare is important and will welcome this.

“The decision means a relatively small increase in costs — around 56p per dozen — but we believe that is more than justified when you consider the benefits.

“You can’t put a price on the misery of a hen living in a space the size of a sheet of A4 paper. The cost of free range eggs will also continue to fall as more consumers demand them.”

Eloise Shavelar, Campaigns Co-ordinator at Compassion in World Farming, said: “We are happy to see councils like Oldham moving in the right direction by banning eggs from battery hens in school meals.

“This is a positive step for chicken welfare and we would be interested in working with Oldham Council on a nomination for our Good Egg Awards. The Good Egg Awards celebrate companies, councils and organisations for sourcing cage-free eggs and 26 councils are already part of the scheme. Winning a Good Egg Award is a great way to demonstrate real and tangible commitment to higher standards of animal welfare and more sustainable food and farming.”

Sales of free range eggs have shot up 10 per cent in the last year and now account for four in every 10 eggs sold according to the British Egg Industry Council. Oldham Council is the latest in a growing line of local authorities and leading household names to begin sourcing cage-free eggs.

McDonald’s, Starbucks, Prêt a Manger, Marks and Spencer and JD Wetherspoon are amongst the firms moving to ban battery farmed eggs.