Today State and Federal ministers sacrificed animal welfare and ignored consumer sentiment when they agreed to define “free-range” as a stocking density of up to 10,000 birds per hectare.

Greens animal welfare spokesperson, Senator Lee Rhiannon said the decision was a disgraceful move by the National Party to misuse the Australian Consumer Law to progress the interests of big industrial egg producers.

“As a result of today’s decision, producers will be able to cram hens into a shed, label the eggs ‘free-range’ and charge consumers a premium. Displaying stocking densities on packs is purely in the interest of industrial egg producers. Now they can legally stock their hens at 10,000 hens per hectare and charge consumers a premium while claiming to be transparent,” said Senator Rhiannon.

In response, Choice is calling for a boycott of egg producers who stock at a density of up to 10,000 birds per hectare and use the newly defined ‘free-range’ label.