Target: Emma Reynolds, UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Goal: Stop importing eggs from countries where hens are kept in cruel battery cages.
The alarming rise in egg imports from Ukraine and Poland threatens the ethical standards of animal welfare in the UK. These countries supply eggs produced under conditions that are banned in the UK, particularly in battery cages. This disturbing practice undermines the efforts of UK farmers who are committed to maintaining high standards of hen welfare, and who are now placed at an unfair disadvantage as they abide by stringent welfare regulations while imports slip through the “back door.” Such actions not only contradict the UK’s pledge to phase out caged systems but also raise serious concerns over food safety.
The British Egg Industry Council has highlighted that while UK farmers are encouraged to invest in welfare improvements, the government has permitted imports from countries where animal welfare standards are significantly lower. The increase in egg imports, shooting from approximately 3,500 consignments in 2023 to over 10,000 in 2024, indicates a troubling trend that could perpetuate the suffering of hens in caged systems, as many smaller shipments from regions with weak regulations replace larger, regulated consignments. This pattern is alarming, suggesting an intentional neglect of the moral responsibilities tied to animal welfare and the integrity of food sources in the UK.
It is crucial that the government takes immediate action to protect UK farmers and uphold animal welfare standards. Without appropriate regulation and accountability for those facilitating the import of eggs from caged hens, the promises made to achieve cage-free production by 2025 remain hollow. The reliance on imports from countries with lesser welfare standards compromises the ethical treatment of animals and presents serious risks to UK consumers’ safety. The time to act is now to ensure that those responsible for this wrongdoing are held accountable and that future egg imports adhere to the UK’s high animal welfare standards.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Reynolds,
The recent surge in egg imports from Ukraine and Poland raises serious animal welfare concerns that demand immediate attention and action. These imports, stemming from caged systems still operational in these countries, jeopardize the ethical commitments that UK farmers and consumers have made. This situation undermines the significant investments made by farmers to realize better welfare conditions and places them at a competitive disadvantage that is construed as morally wrong.
Furthermore, the increase in consignments from these regions points towards a troubling regulatory gap that allows for the importation of products that contradict the very standards our nation has set. With assurances made by supermarkets to transition to cage-free eggs by 2025, allowing imports of caged-hen eggs undermines these commitments and poses risks to both animal welfare and consumer safety. We must not promote aid that comes at the expense of ethical farming practices in the UK.
Action is essential to rectify this situation. We urge you to ensure that appropriate punishment is enforced against those facilitating the importation of eggs produced under conditions that do not meet UK welfare standards. Upholding our nation’s values regarding animal welfare and supporting our farmers means closing this back door to unethical imports and ensuring accountability for those involved.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Pixabay
