UK Now Fully Compliant With Egg Ban

There were 30 farms that continued to use conventional cages after the ban came into effect at the start of this year, causing embarrassment for government body Defra.

Mr Paice added that any producers that reverted back to using battery cages could receive a criminal conviction.

The news comes after statistics revealed that by the end of January, less than 20,000 British hens were still in conventional cages, compared to half a million at the very start of the year. The number should now be at zero.

There are, however, still 14 EU member states that are yet to comply with the ban.

Mr Paice said, “The Commission has now received action plans from all non-compliant member states, which should contain measures to accelerate compliance.

“There are to be monthly reports of these plans in Brussels at the standing committee on the food chain and animal health, and we will be fully engaged in these discussions,” he added.