The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Slavo on March 15, 2012, 08:32:59 pm
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-124834/Battery-hens-banned.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-124834/Battery-hens-banned.html)
A step in the right direction albeit a tiny one. From 1 A4 sheet of paper per bird to 1.5 sheets of paper floor space.
It is believed that if UK ban all cages then the whole industry will suffer as supermarkets would buy their battery eggs from the EU. I believe this to be rubbish. If 25% of all eggs sold on the supermarket shelves are already "free-range" then surely a total ban cannot have such a great impact. It's certainly not stopped Germany. Surely it would still be cheaper to sell free range eggs from UK than import caged hen eggs from the EU?
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I'm afraid most people buy on price though, and yes it would have that effect.
Also, a large proportion of egg production goes into making things like pre-made cakes, meals, etc etc, which are most certainly made with the cheapest ingredients possible.
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Well perhaps Germany is now doomed? Or more likely, they will remain the strongest economy in Europe.
I struggle to believe that this will make a huge difference. Whilst I agree with you that price is the main driver, what sort of price difference is there between importing a trailer load of eggs: Fuel, driver wages, ferry crossing, wear on the truck etc...
with that of a trailer load of UK produced "free-range" eggs.
Of course there are transport costs for both, but considerably greater costs for importing. I believe that cost would go a long way to reduce / remove the price difference.
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I'd like to know where they get their prices for eggs in supermarkets. Either that or I'd like to know which supermarkets sell free range eggs for 68p for half dozen. Tesco charges about £2.60 for a dozen.
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Did anyone take notice of " The Very Hungry Frenchman " when he went to the chicken farm ? Kept in from birth for a few weeks , then free range, then put back in cages "for the fat to blend with the flesh" and this is protected by Appelation Controlle for the breed.
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I was amazed when I watched the news the other day and the egg producer guy had invested so much to upgrade - a cage to a slightly bigger cage. Still at least they can move their wings now - provided everything else in the cage moves over and into the corner.
We are still battery farming eggs - just a hype to keep the public happy.